Bengaluru: With just 125 days to go until the Indian men and women hockey teams take the field against New Zealand and Netherlands respectively in their first match at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, both sides are continuing to train hard amid the rise of the threat of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The players and support staff are taking all the necessary precautions at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) facility in Bengaluru. The campus is well-equipped for regular practice sessions and no unauthorised persons are allowed to enter the premises.

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"The COVID-19 outbreak has not affected our practice sessions. We are continuously washing our hands and our temperatures are being checked regularly. The authorities at our SAI campus are ensuring that we are training in a safe environment. With the backing of SAI and our coaches, we have been training very hard for the Olympics," said Indian men's hockey team captain Manpreet Singh.

The Indian women's hockey team captain Rani expressed that her side is fortunate to continue to train for the Olympics in a safe environment.

"We are very fortunate to have a facility like the SAI campus here. Everyone is working very hard so that the hockey teams can continue to practice for the Olympics. Our health is being monitored everyday and we are taking all the necessary precautions. The authorities at SAI have helped us to continue to focus on our goal of performing well at the Tokyo Olympics," said Rani.

The Indian men’s hockey team is scheduled to play New Zealand and the Indian Women's Hockey Team is slated to face the Netherlands in their first match at the Tokyo Olympics on 25 July 2020.