Forward Jyoti credits seniors for guiding her in crunch moments at CWG 2022

New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS): India women’s hockey team forward Jyoti has credited seniors with guiding her through difficult moments at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where Savita Punia ended a 16-year medal drought at the quadrennial event.

The women’s team returned to India on August 9 after winning a memorable bronze medal at CWG 2022. The medal was a poignant achievement for Jyoti as it was her first appearance at the famous mega sporting event.

“The Commonwealth Games were particularly important to me as this was my first appearance for the team at a multi-disciplinary event. Winning the bronze medal has filled us with an immense sense of pride and joy and is a true reward for the efforts of all the team. The bronze medal certainly made this mission twice as special for me,” said the 22-year-old in an HI statement.

Speaking further about her experience in Birmingham, Jyoti said she understands that losing and winning will always be an important part of any tournament.

“My overall experience of the games was amazing. We won our games against Ghana, Wales and Canada but lost to England in the group stage. I also understood that losing and winning will always be an important part of any tournament,” she said.

“We weren’t favorites for a medal at CWG 2022, but despite all the doubts from outside, we were able to get the bronze medal. That’s why this achievement is so special as we exceeded all expectations,” she added.

The Sonipat rising star also opened up about the progress she’s made since joining the squad.

“The players and the coaching staff really helped me to improve my game. I now feel much more confident carrying the ball and my movement off the ball has improved drastically. The coaching staff also gave me a lot of confidence to try something different and be creative on the field,” she said.

Jyoti also spoke about the influence of head coach Janneke Schopman: “Janneke helped me improve my game. She taught me how to make the game simple and easy for me, I stop thinking about the ball and look how to move it as fast as possible. Their hands-on approach during training sessions bought out my best skills.”

At CWG 2022, youth also grappled with the pressures of being part of the Indian women’s ice hockey team at a sporting mega-event.

“CWG 2022 was the biggest tournament of my life so far and at this level you always have to deal with extra pressure, but the older members of the team have really helped and guided me. Now, before I head out onto the field, I take deep breaths to collect myself and focus on getting the job done,” she said.