Six from Surjit Hockey Academy make it to Olympics

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 18

The authorities announced a 16-member Indian hockey team (men) for the Tokyo Olympics. Of these, eight are from Punjab, including six from Surjit Hockey Academy — Harmanpreet Singh, Hardik Singh, Manpreet Singh, Shamsher Singh, Dilpreet Singh and Mandeep Singh.

Office-bearers said it was a matter of pride that six players from the academy have been selected for the Olympics. Indian hockey captain Manpreet Singh got married recently.

Harmanpreet, who had scored two goals in 2017 when India defeated Pakistan 7-1, has also made it to the team. Harmanpreet took training at Surjit Hockey Academy in his early years and so has Shamsher Singh, who hails from Attari, was selected in senior Indian hockey team in 2019.

Shamsher spent six years in Jalandhar and trained at Surjit Hockey Academy. He was in Class VII when he came to the city to polish his skills. His father Hardev Singh is a farmer and mother Harpreet Kaur is a housewife. On being asked if he had ever thought that he would make it to the Tokyo Olympics, Shamsher said, “Never, to be very honest. I just wanted to train at the academy in Jalandhar and play for the nation.”