Kakamigahara , , More than ending India’s 44-year wait for an Asian Games women’s hockey gold, veteran India goalkeeper Savita Punia said securing direct qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics was the team’s overriding objective, with the new coaching set-up transforming the side’s environment, unity and belief over the last 10 months. India’s 1-0 victory over defending champions and Olympic silver medallists China in the final on Friday not only brought an end to a long-standing gold medal drought but also ensured the team would have nearly two years to prepare for the Los Angeles Games without the burden of Olympic qualification hanging over them.
We knew it had been 44 years since India last won gold at the Asian Games, but more than history, our focus was on qualifying directly for the Olympics,” Savita said after India’s historic triumph on Friday. “We wanted to qualify directly so that we would have one-and-a-half years to prepare and perform better in LA, and hopefully go there for a medal. Because of a personal reason, but the coach called me back and trusted me, “I had left the camp.
You must have heard us say in several interviews that our main aim was to qualify directly,” Savita said. I was brought back with a lot of faith, and I knew I had to do something for this team,” she said.The captain’s contribution extended beyond her performance between the posts, with her relationship with Bichu Devi emerging as another defining feature of India’s goalkeeping unit. When I am standing there, I am also standing for India,” Savita said.”I have always treated her like my younger sister, and she treats me like an elder sister. I have immense respect for the effort she has put in.”Savita said she wanted Bichu to carry forward the legacy of Indian goalkeeping and serve the country for as long as she had.”I definitely want Bichu to carry on after me. I want her to play for India for as long as I have,” she said.
“When our new staff came in, we had only one thing in mind that we have to qualify directly for LA. “We played very well at the Paris qualifiers, but we had some young players who lacked experience. We couldn’t qualify, and that day we decided that we had to secure direct qualification for LA. Wayne and I also had a long conversation. I remember all those moments. The two shared the podium after the final, with Savita handing her medal to the younger goalkeeper, a gesture that reflected both their bond and the captain’s faith in her successor.”We have a very good bond, and that is our strength. We are not opponents; we are competitors who train together. When Bichu is standing in goal, she is standing for India. She is very hardworking, and she comes from a similar background to mine. My best wishes and advice will always be with her.
