Women's Hockey World Cup 2022: We will do everything it takes to win a medal, says Gurjit Kaur

Amstelveen (Netherlands), June 30: The Indian women's ace defender Gurjit Kaur has said the team is aiming for a podium finish at the 2022 Women's Hockey World Cup, following a remarkable third-place finish in the FIH Hockey Women's Pro League 2021/22.

Gurjit spoke candidly about the Indian team's preparations and the prospects for the coveted event during the HWC 2022 special episode of Hockey Te Charcha.

The charismatic drag-flicker, who also appeared in the 2018 event, was thrilled to be making her second show-piece appearance and added the team are also excited to be in Netherlands, where hockey is one of the most followed sport.

"Yes, we are thrilled to be here. This is my second World Cup appearance. So, to be honest, I'm hoping to savour every moment this time around. And, in short, we are all ecstatic to be here," Gurjit said.

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"Hockey is a prominent sport in the Netherlands. A lot of people play hockey in this country. We went to a ground one day and observed several young players playing hockey; perhaps this is why the Netherlands produces so many world-class players."

Gurjit also highlighted the improvements Indian Team has made in the recent, particularly since the 2020 Tokyo Games.

"We have progressed a lot since the TokyoGames. Yes, we did not win a medal in Tokyo, but we did perform admirably there. So, certainly, that performance did boost our morale."

Gurjit was also upbeat about the team putting up an excellent performance at the World Cup after an impressive finish to the their first ever Pro League campaign.

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"We have played a lot of international games in the run-up to the World Cup. There were several tournaments, and for the first time, we competed in the FIH Pro League. So, certainly, all of these games have helped us improve both our game and our confidence," she added.

"Everyone is putting in a lot of effort in training as all of us want to win a medal at this World Cup. And, yes, we are just really riled up for this event and we will do everything it takes to finish on the podium here," she concluded.

The Indian team is placed in Pool B alongside England, New Zealand and China. The eves will take on England in their tournament opener on Sunday (July 3) at 8 PM IST.

Source: Hockey India Release