"Salima Tete Opens Up on Fitness Struggles and Ambitions for 2028 Olympics | Lotus365 Match Prediction"

Salima Tete and the Indian women's hockey team work on fitness and mental toughness to prepare for upcoming tournaments and the 2028 Olympics.

The Indian women's hockey team’s journey post-Tokyo Olympics has been a challenging one. After finishing a historic fourth in the Tokyo 2021 Games, the team faced a string of disappointing results, including failing to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics and struggling in the FIH Pro League. Now, as the team prepares for the Women's Asian Champions Trophy in Rajgir, Bihar, from November 11 to 20, captain Salima Tete has admitted that the team's poor performances stemmed from a lack of fitness and mental toughness.

“We were disappointed, but we can't dwell on the past. We need to move forward, as that is the only way we can win matches,” said Salima in an interview with PTI. The struggles after the failure to qualify for Paris were significant, but under the new chief coach Harendra Singh, the squad has been working on rebuilding their foundation. Salima acknowledged that fitness was a major area for improvement, which Harendra had emphasized. “It was our mistake that we didn't focus enough on fitness, but since Harendra sir took charge, we've put in the work,” she shared.

In a fast-paced sport like hockey, fitness is essential. The team now focuses heavily on strength training, with players lifting more than 100 kg, a clear sign of their progress. Salima also noted that the squad is now more mentally prepared, having undergone intensive mental strengthening and team-building exercises at the prestigious Indian Naval Academy in Kerala earlier this year. “We didn’t know what to expect, but it helped us realize that we won’t get anywhere without hard work,” she explained.

Looking ahead, Salima is focused on preparing for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “We’re starting from scratch. Our goal is to qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics and finish on the podium. We’ve begun working on this from now,” she said. The upcoming Asian Champions Trophy, where India enters as the defending champions, is crucial for the team’s confidence. “We aim to win this championship. Every player has to show her strength, and mine is speed, which I’ll use to help the team.”

As India prepares to face off against top teams like China, Japan, and Korea, Salima’s leadership and focus on team effort will be key in the pursuit of gold.

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