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From 20 injuries to fifth in the World Cup: Lombard hails women Hockey team's remarkable journey
From 20 injuries to fifth in the World Cup: Lombard hails women Hockey team's remarkable journey
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Amstelveen, From a daunting list of nearly 20 injuries when they began their preparations in January to finishing fifth at the World Cup, India's women hockey team has undergone a remarkable transformation, says strength and conditioning coach Dr Wayne Lombard.
India signed off with an impressive 3-1 win over higher-ranked Germany in the fifth-place playoff here on Thursday, a result Lombard believes reflects not only the team's physical progress but also the growth in their confidence and belief.
"When we came in January, we had a list of about 20 injuries and now we have finished fifth in the World Cup. It says it all," Lombard told PTI.
India may have fallen short of their semifinal target, but their convincing victory over Germany can become the foundation for bigger achievements at the Asian Games and beyond, Lombard further said.
"Impressive finish. We were disappointed as we wanted to win against Australia and play the semifinals. But the team was terrific against Germany and it will give a lot of confidence ahead of the Asian Games," he said.
"A 3-1 win against a team like Germany is a testament to how good this team is."
Having failed to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics, relegated from the FIH Pro League, and battling with many issues, the team had a lot to prove in this WC.
Lombard said the team's physical transformation had also triggered a mental shift, with the players now carrying the confidence to take on the world's best.
"Today's hockey is all about fitness. If we get the physical part right, the mental part also gets improved," he said.
"They now have the confidence of beating top teams and that's what we wanted them to know - that they can compete with the best in the world both physically and mentally."
That belief was evident in the way India responded after the break against Germany.
Lombard returned with the team in January after previously guiding the team to a historic fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 with chief coach Sjoerd Marijne.
Since then, Indian team qualified for the World Cup, returned to Pro League with the Nations Cup title and now at the World Cup they capped their best result in 52 years.
Mathias Vila, the team's assistant coach said India's progress was also rooted in greater exposure to higher-ranked opposition and a better understanding of how to play collectively.
"It's important to play against the higher-ranked teams and to know how to beat them.Indian players are very skillful and have a lot of will, but now they are playing with better structure and defence. They now understand better how to play as a team." he said.
The Argentine legend and three times Olympian said the fifth-place finish was the product of a collective effort behind the scenes.
"Everyone has put in a little effort and together this kind of win could be achieved," he said.
For Lombard, however, the next step is to turn flashes of brilliance into a consistent habit.
"This team has the potential to win medals at World Cups and Olympics. The only thing we need to change is consistency," he said.
"If we are able to produce this kind of performance on a regular basis, the outcome will take care of itself. We need to keep the process right."
He also pointed to the Women's Hockey India League as an important part of the team's development, saying it has changed the way Indian players view and interact with international stars.
"I can see the difference between pre and post Women HIL. Players know some of these players now, they have played against them and they do not fear foreign players anymore," Lombard said.
"They speak to them, they are more open and share different cultures. It's not about hockey only, it's about life experiences."
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
