Hockey star gets hero’s reception in Kurukshetra
Tribune News Service
Kurukshetra, August 11
Indian men’s hockey team defender Surender Kumar, member of the bronze medal-winning squad in the Tokyo Olympics, today reached Kurukshetra where he was accorded a rousing welcome by his family, coach Gurvinder Singh and city residents.
A roadshow was organised here in his honour, which concluded at the Dronacharya stadium here.
Surender said, “I am overwhelmed by the kind of response that I have got in the country. The medal is not only mine, it is of the entire country. I want to apologise for not winning the gold medal, but want to assure that we will make all efforts to win gold in the next Olympics.”
Will Aim for gold in Paris
The medal does not belong to me alone. It belongs to the entire country. I want to apologise for not winning gold this time, but the team will make efforts to win it in the Paris Olympics. — Surender Kumar
Surender raised the demand for Astroturf at the Dronachrya stadium, adding that he had struggled a lot in the absence of Astroturf and did not want the budding players to face similar iproblem.
His coach Gurvinder Singh said, “Surender’s struggle and hard work have paid off. The way the team has been performing, I am confident that the team will win gold in the next Olympics.”
Thanesar MLA Subhash Sudha said, “I have repeatedly raised the issue of Astroturf. I will send a proposal to Chief Minister Manohar Lal to name one of the two proposed stadiums, a stadium which is to be constructed near the Dronacharya stadium and the second one at Palwal village, after Surender Kumar.
He said he would raise the matter in the upcoming Assembly session.
