Indian ladies’s hockey group captain Rani on Monday mentioned assembly her household was the one factor she craved when the gamers had been confined to the SAI Centre in Bengaluru for over two months due to the COVID-19 lockdown.
Both the lads’s and girls’s nationwide groups had been caught on the Sports Authority of India (SAI) South Centre in Bengaluru since March 25 when the federal government introduced the nationwide lockdown to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, final week the gamers had been granted permission to return to their respective properties on a month-long break.
Rani who returned to Shahbad in Haryana couldn’t cover her happiness on assembly her household.
“I know a lot of people had been craving to travel or to eat outside, but the only thing I had been craving during lockdown was meeting my family,” the 25-year-old mentioned.
“I am so happy that I am finally here and can spend some days with them. I am, of course, very thankful to Hockey India and SAI for having taken great care of us, and now my focus will be on maintaining my fitness even at home, and making sure I spend my time with my loved ones,” she added.
Even although the gamers are used to spending near 300 days in a 12 months away from their households, this explicit interval was completely different for every considered one of them because the world battled a pandemic.
Having returned dwelling over the weekend, the gamers have been in a position to reconnect with their family members and spend some high quality time at their properties.
Manpreet Singh in motion. (Source: File Photo)
Men’s group captain Manpreet Singh appeared delighted on the alternative of not simply assembly his mom and brother, but in addition his two pet canines.
“It was such a great feeling to have returned home to my mother, brother and my two dogs, Sam and Rio,” he mentioned.
“Even though I was in constant touch over video calls, I was really looking forward to being back home, and all I can say is that it felt so good to be back home – it just gave me goosebumps,” added Manpreet who returned to his native Jalandhar.
Meanwhile, males’s group ahead Mandeep Singh mentioned he’s lucky to have gotten the chance however desires to keep up his routine to make sure prime performances as soon as he’s again to taking part in aggressive hockey sooner or later.
“When I stepped inside the house, the energy I felt was just out of this world. I returned after such a long time so it was nice to meet my family and to spend time with them,” Mandeep mentioned.
“However, I speak on behalf of all the players when I say that one thing we will not forget is to maintain our fitness and routine during this break. We know it is imperative to remain in top shape, and we will be focused on that, and I am sure we will be helped by our families and friends as well,” he added.
Women’s midfielder Neha Goya additionally expressed pleasure at coming again to fulfill her mom in Sonipat.
“During the early part of lockdown, my sister had come down to stay with my mother, but once the restrictions eased a bit, she had to return to her in-laws. When I came back and presented my mother with my ‘Hockey India Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year 2019’ trophy, the happiness on her face was what I had missed seeing for the past three months,” the 23-year-old mentioned.
“So I am really happy to be back with her, and I am looking forward to helping her in daily chores as well. Of course we need to maintain our fitness schedules, and I will be focusing on that too along with spending some quality time with my mother,” she added.
