Training under Rupinder at national camp will help me during Asian Games: Deepika
The Hindu
Deepika, 19, is a penalty corner specialist on the Indian women's hockey team. She has been training with former drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh to help her make decisions in match situations at the upcoming Asian Games. Deepika has scored 7 goals, 4 from penalty corners, in 6 games at the Junior Asia Cup. She is excited to be part of the team and her family is proud of her accomplishments. She started playing hockey in 2012 and made it to the national team in 2018. She was part of the Junior Asia Cup title-winning team and the 4th place team at the FIH Women's Junior World Cup. Deepika will face Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Singapore in the group stage of the Asian Games.
Indian women's hockey team's penalty corner specialist Deepika feels the training stint at the national camp under former drag-flicker Rupinder Pal Singh will help her in taking decisions in match situations during the upcoming Asian Games.
The 19-year-old Deepika is one of three drag-flickers available to chief coach Janneke Schopman for penalty corners. She has scored seven goals — four of which came from penalty corners — in six games at the women's Junior Asia Cup which India won earlier this year.
"We've been working on drag-flicking with Rupinder Pal Singh in camp for a few days now, he's got us working on beating the first rusher, showing us where the ball can be stopped, and how to release if the ball is stopped on the sides," Deepika said.
"All of this help will undoubtedly help me in match situations during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou.
"I don't feel any pressure to score by flicking, all the players let me focus on my skill and encourage me to keep the shot on goal as much as I can," she added in a Hockey India release.
Deepika said she was not expecting to make it to the Asian Games team.
"With everyone vying for a spot, I never expected to make the team, and I was ecstatic when I found out. It's my first time going to a big tournament, and I was a little nervous at first, but chief coach Janneke Schopman and the senior players have kept me grounded," she said.
Asian Games champion Avinash Sable opened his season in the 3000m steeple chase with a silver in the Portland Track Festival, a World Athletics Continental Tour bronze event, in Oregon on Saturday. He clocked 8:21.85s. Asian champion Parul Chaudhary took the bronze in the women’s 3000m steeple chase in a season-best 9:31.38s. Former Asian bronze medallist Sanjivani Jadhav struck gold in the women’s 10,000m in 32:22.77s, a time which was a second off her personal best, while Seema was sixth in 32:55.91s.