Salima Tete says India women’s team desperately wanted podium finish at CWG after WC debacle

The
Indian
women’s
hockey
claimed
a
bronze
medal
in
Birmingham
Commonwealth
Games
after
beating
New
Zealand
3-1
in
the
penalty
shootout
after
the
match
ended
1-1
in
regulation
time.

However,
at
the
World
Cup
held
in
Spain
and
the
Netherlands
earlier
this
year
just
a
few
weeks
ahead
of
the
CWG
2022,
India
finished
a
disappointing
joint
ninth
with
China.

Salima,
who
scored
in
the
bronze
medal
match
in
Birmingham,
revealed
that
a
podium
finish
was
the
only
target
that
the
team
had
after
a
disastrous
display
at
the
World
Cup.

“After
we
had
a
bad
campaign
at
the
World
Cup,
the
team’s
aim
and
our
focus
was
very
clear.
We
wanted
to
do
well
at
the
2022
Commonwealth
Games
in
Birmingham,
there
was
no
other
option,”
she
said
in
‘Hockey
Te
Charcha’ programme.

“We
were
sure
we
had
to
get
a
medal
before
returning
back
to
India.
Kuch
na
kuch
karna
hi
hai
(Needed
to
do
something),”
she
added.

The
20-year-old
Salima,
who
is
one
of
the
youngest
members
of
the
Indian
women’s
hockey
team,
credits
the
sport
for
changing
her
life
despite
being
relatively
new
in
the
set-up.

“Playing
for
India
has
really
changed
my
life
a
lot,
it
has
given
me
everything
I
could
have
asked
for.
I
just
want
to
keep
performing
for
the
country
and
win
more
matches,”
Salima
noted.

Salima
also
revealed
that
interaction
with
Prime
Minister
Narendra
Modi
following
the
team’s
return
from
Birmingham
motivates
the
team
to
work
hard
and
achieve
good
results.

“Meeting
the
PM
was
a
very
big
thing
for
someone
like
me.
All
of
us
meeting
the
PM,
is
a
source
of
motivation.
It
is
a
motivation
for
us
to
keep
working
hard
and
achieve
good
results.”

Having
learnt
to
play
the
sport
on
grass
grounds
as
young
kid,
one
of
the
biggest
moments
in
Salima’s
career
so
far
has
been
the
2021
Tokyo
Olympics
campaign,
where
India
finished
fourth.

While
that
has
done
a
lot
for
the
athlete,
Salima
says
it’s
ensured
that
her
village
has
better
training
facilities,
and
that
it
is
no
more
tucked
away
from
the
glare
of
the
spotlight.

“Before
the
Tokyo
Olympics,
no
one
knew
about
our
village
and
after
I
came
back,
the
focus
on
our
native
place
has
increased
a
lot.
We
have
people
visiting
us
from
different
places,
people
recognising
the
village
I
come
from.

“It
is
really
heart-warming.
Even
for
my
family,
they
feel
very
good
when
people
come
to
visit.
The
whole
atmosphere
has
changed
and
it
makes
me
very
happy.”

Rolling
back
the
clock
by
a
few
years,
Salima
threw
some
light
on
her
journey,
speaking
fondly
about
the
likes
of
Asunta
Lakra
and
Nikki
Pradhan,
both
of
whom
have
been
influential
mentors
in
her
career.

“I
came
to
hockey
through
the
junior
nationals
and
I
had
a
role
model
in
Asunta
Lakra.
I
wanted
to
become
like
her,
when
I
saw
her
playing.
I
felt
that
if
she
can
do
it,
so
can
I.

“Nikki
Pradhan
is
a
very
important
figure
in
my
development
and
has
always
had
enough
time
for
me.
My
family
too
is
very
supportive
and
they
don’t
think
of
the
difficulties,
my
family,
my
parents
and
siblings
are
very
supportive,”
she
said.