From Sindhu to Sathiyan, the Olympians share their New Year wish

The world ushered in the New Year with across the world with fireworks and light shows at all the prominent locations around the globe at the stroke of midnight.

While the Burj Khalifa in Dubai lit up the skyline in the Emirates, in Tokyo - the hosts for the 2020 Olympic Games - saw people gather at the Shibuya crossing, one of the busiest interjections in the world, to welcome the Olympic Year.

Things were no different in India as well, with landmark places like the Gateway of India in Mumbai, having celebratory fireworks to mark the beginning of another calendar year. While the nation took in the celebration, India’s Olympic champions, former Olympians and Olympic hopefuls took to their social media accounts to spread the good word.

Here’s a look at few of the engaging posts from the New Year.

Sreejesh gathers his troops

They might be busy sweating it out, preparing for their first taste of the FIH Pro League. But that didn’t stop Indian men’s hockey team’s goalkeeper PR Sreejesh in lining up a few of his trusted men to wish their fans a Happy New Year.

The Indian shot-stopper was accompanied by his deputy Suraj Karkera, senior players Birendra Lakra, SV Sunil, and Sumit in a short but energetic video. 

PV Sindhu’s raring to go

There’s no doubt how important 2020 is for Indian badminton ace PV Sindhu. Apart from an upward swing in her form, the Indian shuttler will also be keen to go a step further at Tokyo 2020 when the Olympics comes around in a few months time. 

But before she gets down to business, the dynamic Indian shuttler shared a post on her Instagram account explaining what the New Year meant to her.

A lot in store, reminds Shiva Keshavan

2020 is set to be a hectic season for sports fans. Be it the Summer Olympics in Tokyo or the Winter Youth Olympics in Lausanne in a few days from now. And if you are still wondering what all of this means to the Indian sporting community, winter Olympian Shiva Keshavan has you covered in his New Year wish.

Parupalli Kashyap’s #DecadeChallenge

The end of 2019 also saw the world pull down the curtains on another eventful decade. This also set in motion a social media trend that saw many share their pictures from 10 years apart, calling it the #DecadeChallenge.

Indian badminton’s power couple Parupalli Kashyap and Saina Nehwal, too, were no alien to this trend as the former took to Twitter to share an image of the two.

Vinesh Phogat’s sense of optimism

If there’s one athlete who’s eagerly looking forward to getting on the Tokyo 2020 flight, then that has to be Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat.

Ever since her Olympic dream met an unfortunate end at the Rio Games four years ago, Phogat has been dreaming of getting back on to the Olympic mat to make amends. And with the Olympics just a few months away, the Indian wrestling star shared her optimism on what she expects to be a ‘special year’.

Sathiyan Gnanasekaran’s excitement

Talk to Sathiyan Gnanasekaran and there’s always an aura of excitement that he exudes. Be it him talking about the fine season he enjoyed in 2019, or be it about his engineering days when table tennis was nothing but an afterthought.

And things seemed no different when Gnanasekaran shared his New Year wish on his Twitter handle. One can definitely hope for the Chennai man to build on his 2019 performance as he enters the all-important Olympic Year.

Rani Rampal relives the year that was

For Indian women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal, 2019 will be remembered for her goal in the second match of the two-legged FIH Olympic qualifier against the USA that sealed the team’s place at Tokyo 2020.

And it was no surprise that the Indian captain chose to look back at the year with a sense of positivity.

With the Olympics just around the corner, the entire nation will hope for their stars to be in their best shape possible as they head into Tokyo 2020 carrying the hopes and dreams of a million people.