New Delhi: Indian hockey has fallen on hard times but captain Bharat Chetri believes it is his destiny to lead the team to the London Olympics and snatch a new generation of players away from cricket’s grasp.
India are the most successful hockey nation in Olympic history but collected the last of their eight gold medals in 1980. The game has been in steady decline in recent years and hit a nadir when India failed to qualify for the Beijing Games.
Chetri said that for India’s national sport to begin creeping out from cricket’s massive shadow they had to grab their place in London with a strong showing at the Olympic qualifiers beginning in Delhi tomorrow.
"We have not left anything to chance," Chetri said. "We worked hard, addressed every issue and are on the right track."
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