‘We knew we would win gold’: Salima Tete leads Jharkhand’s hockey heroes home

Indian women's hockey team captain Salima Tete on Sunday said the team was confident of winning gold at the Asian Games, despite facing a strong Chinese side.

India defeated defending champions China 1-0 in the final in Japan to win the women's hockey gold at the Asian Games after 44 years, also securing qualification for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"We deserve this victory. This time we had full confidence in our team and players that we would definitely win gold, although China was a very good team. Defending that one goal and winning gold for our country is a proud moment for us," Tete told PTI Videos.

Four members of the gold-winning team hail from Jharkhand. Tete, Beauty Dungdung and Deepika Soreng are from Simdega district, while Nikki Pradhan belongs to Khunti. They received a grand welcome at the Ranchi airport on arrival in the state.

Soreng said the team was delighted not only to win gold but also to secure an Olympic berth.

"We worked very hard to win gold at the Asian Games. We were preparing to achieve this remarkable win for a long time. We feel very proud. It was not easy for us to defend the one goal against a team like China, but we did it," she said.

Pradhan said the team had drawn confidence from its defensive performance against Australia at the Tokyo Olympics and was now focused on preparing for the next Games.

"We knew the team we played against was very good and, as we defended against the Australian team at the Tokyo Olympics, this time we defended the lead of one goal against China. Now we have qualified for the upcoming Olympics. We will prepare for that and remove our shortcomings," she said.

The players were welcomed at the airport by cheering supporters, including coaches and young hockey players who danced to the beats of traditional Mandar drums.

After receiving a grand welcome at the airport, all four players met Chief Minister Hemant Soren at his residence.

"Our wonderful daughters of Jharkhand... You have done wonders," Soren said in a social media post.

Pradhan's mother, Jitan Devi, said she was proud of her daughter's achievement, recalling that the family had initially been unfamiliar with hockey and had discouraged her from playing.

"When she started playing hockey, we didn't know about this game. We used to stop her, but Master Dashrath kept encouraging her in this sport, and as a result, today she has reached this level. Now we are very proud of her," she said.

Tete's father, Sulakshan Tete, said his daughter had brought pride to her state and the country through years of struggle.

"I am very happy because she is bringing glory to her state and country. She has won the gold medal after a lot of struggle. The Indian women's team's victory is a matter of pride for the entire country, Jharkhand, and obviously for the family," he said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed)