India’s top medal prospects at Tokyo Olympics and their main challengers: Indian men’s hockey team

Once supergiants in the Olympic arena, India have much to salvage in Tokyo. The last of their record eight gold medals came at the 1980 Olympics!

4 minBy Naveen Peter
The Indian men's hockey team will be a medal favourite at Tokyo 2020.
(Hockey India)

If their recent form is anything to go by, the Indian men’s hockey team will go into the Tokyo Olympics as one of the strongest contenders for a podium finish.

India’s FIH Pro League results against the reigning Olympic champions Argentina in February are a testament to their form and preparation.

Up against Los Leones in Buenos Aires, India won their first match on penalties and then went on to blank the Rio 2016 gold medallists 3-0 in the second.

It’s on the back of this performance that Graham Reid’s side will head into Tokyo 2020 with a hope of improving on their quarter-final finish in Rio.

At Tokyo 2020, the Indian men’s hockey team’s primary challenge will come from the following teams.

Belgium

World ranking: 1

Major achievements: Silver at Rio 2016 Olympics; World Cup winners in 2018; European champions in 2019.

What makes them special? One of the most improved teams in the recent times, Belgium are a modern-day hockey power house.

Their high-energy and fast-paced hockey is often hard to match. Loaded with top-quality stars in Florent Van Aubelm, Cédric Charlier, Loïck Luypaert and John-John Dohmen, Belgium have left a lasting impression on most of the big ticket competitions they have competed in.

Belgium are the reigning world and European champions, finished runners-up in the inaugural FIH Pro League in 2019 and come into the Tokyo Games as the silver medallists from the previous edition in Rio.

In the ongoing FIH Pro League, Belgium are on top of the points table. Belgium have recorded nine outright wins in the competition so far and have scored a mammoth 40 goals, including a 6-1 thrashing of heavyweights Germany.

Australia

World ranking: 2

Major achievements: Olympics gold in 2004, silver in 1968, 1976, 1992 and bronze in 1964, 1996, 2000, 2008, 2012; World Cup winners 1986, 2010, 2014.

What makes them special? One of the most decorated teams in world hockey, Australia have often tried to break the European hegemony with their fiery brand of hockey at the international stage.

The Australian hockey team banks on the experience of players like Eddie Ockendenm, Aran Zalewski and Jeremy Hayward and the youthful exuberance of Tom Craig, Dylan Wotherspoon and Jake Harvie.

It’s this fine balance between experience and callow youth that makes the reigning FIH Pro League champions a difficult opposition to counter.

Though their recent run of form doesn’t inspire much (Australia are fifth in the FIH Pro League with just three outright wins from their eight games so far), head coach Colin Batch will be hoping for the team to start afresh at Tokyo 2020.

The Netherlands

World Ranking: 3

Major achievements: Olympic gold in 1996, 2000, silver in 1928, 1952, 2004, 2012, bronze in 1936, 1948, 1988; World Cup winners in 1973, 1990, 1998; European champions in 1983, 1987, 2007, 2015, 2017.

What makes them special? One of the successful teams in world hockey, the Netherlands are often the team to beat in any top competition.

Coached by one of the best in the business, Maximiliano Caldas, the Dutch have regularly challenged for the big prize. They come into the Tokyo Olympics as the silver medallists from the 2018 FIH Men’s World Cup and the 2019 FIH Pro League.

With the likes of Mink van der Weerden, Billy Bakker, Jeroen Hertzberger, Mirco Pruyser and Thierry Brinkman in their ranks, the Dutch will surely be an interesting proposition at the Olympics.

Their recent run of form hasn’t been disappointing either. Though they began the FIH Pro League 2020-21 on a disastrous note with losses against India in the opening two games, the Netherlands bounced back to beat Spain, Argentina and Great Britain.

Though defeats to Germany in their latest encounters could have hit the team’s morale somewhat, expect the Netherlands to be at the peak of their performance come the Tokyo Games.