'The trend started in Tokyo will continue in Paris'

Indian hockey forward Sukhjeet Singh is unfazed by the pressure of playing at the highest level and is watching the clips of his international goals to boost his confidence ahead of his Olympic debut at the Paris Games.

"I made my debut in the Indian team in 2022 and scored a goal in my debut match against Spain in the FIH Pro League. The journey so far has been good and I try to do my best in every match," he told PTI Bhasha in an interview before departing for Paris.

Having scored 22 goals in 70 international matches so far, Sukhjeet is prepared physically and mentally to face the pressure of the Olympics.

He is one of the five debutants -- Sanjay, Abhishek, Rajkumar Pal, and Jarmanpreet Singh -- who have joined the 11 members of Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist team for the Paris Games.

"I am not feeling any pressure at all. We have played big tournaments, so we know how to handle pressure. We are confident of playing well against big teams in the pool as our preparation has been really good," said the 27-year-old.

The team will begin its campaign on July 27 against New Zealand, followed by matches against Argentina (July 29), Ireland (July 30), Belgium (August 1) and Australia (August 2).

India and Australia have clashed on the hockey field a total of 43 times since 2013 -- the latter emerged victorious 33 times, while India have won 8 games and 7 matches ended in a draw. Similarly, India has 8 wins, 16 losses and 6 draws in 30 matches against Tokyo Olympic champion Belgium in the last 10 years.

Sukhjeet had scored six goals in his debut tournament -- FIH Pro League -- in 2022. After this, he scored three goals in the 2023 World Cup held in India. He was also part of the Indian team that won the gold medal in the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

"I watch my clips of the matches in which I scored goals before big matches. This increases my confidence and I try to do better in the next match. My previous performance makes me mentally stronger,” he said when asked about mental preparations for the Olympics.

“Apart from this, talking to a sports psychologist before the semi-finals or finals in the Asian Games and also during the Asian Champions Trophy has benefited a lot. They tell us how to handle pressure. The tips I get from them are very useful.

"Senior players in our team, Shree Bhai (PR Sreejesh), Manpreet, Harmanpreet have a lot of experience. They tell us about their experiences and motivate us to perform well. If we have any problem, we talk to them."

Sukhjeet was introduced to hockey by his father Ajit Singh when he was six years old. Former Punjab Police hockey player Ajit could not play for the national team but he wanted his son to don the India jersey.

"My father used to play for Punjab Police and he always had a dream to see his son represent India. It is because of his support that I am at this stage. It will be a proud moment for him and my entire family when I step on the field in Paris," he said.

Asked which players he is eager to meet in the Olympic Games Village, Sukhjeet said that at present the focus is on his preparation.

"I am looking forward to meeting Australian hockey team forward Blake Grovers, against whom I have played many matches. But the focus is on our preparation, not on the glamour of Games Village.

"There is a good coordination between young and experienced players in the team and we are sure that the trend started in Tokyo will continue further in Paris," said Sukhjeet, who loves to listen to Punjabi songs to unwind amid rigorous training.