New Delhi: India’s dreams of an Asian Games hockey gold and automatic qualification for 2020 Olympics were shattered by Malaysia in Jakarta last week. India, after dominating the group stage with 76 goals, were knocked out in the semi-final 6-7 via a dramatic penalty shootout.

The team put that heartbreak behind and defeated Pakistan to bag the bronze medal. However, Indian player Manpreet Singh still rues that failure against Malaysia and calls it a “dark day”.

In an exclusive interview with MyNation, Manpreet recalled his experience of playing in the Asian Games 2018 and was happy with Indian athletes’ performances as they returned home with best-ever Asian Games medals tally of 69.

With the nation doing well in non-cricket sports, Manpreet urged parents to encourage their children to take up sports.

Excerpts

MyNation: Congrats on defeating Pakistan to win the bronze medal in Asian Games, but what went wrong in the semi-final against Malaysia?

Manpreet Singh: We were doing very well at the Asian Games, but the match against Malaysia did not go as per our plans. Personally, I don’t know why I got a foul (against Malaysia), I didn't understand the umpiring. Hence, some things were against us and it was a bad day for me and the team.

MN: What was your most memorable moment at the Asian Games?

Manpreet: There were a lot of memorable moments but it was a dark day for me when we lost to Malaysia. We failed in only one match in the tournament and that was the crucial semi-final.

MN: What are your future plans?

Manpreet: I am preparing for the upcoming World Cup. And I want to train keeping in mind that whatever happened with Malaysia should not happen be repeated. I want to improve my game and want to do well in future tournaments.

MN: India is a cricket-loving nation but these days we can see other sports coming to the forefront. What are your thoughts?

Manpreet: I feel very proud that India was winning so many medals in wrestling and other sports. After seeing the medals that we have won in Asian Games 2018, I felt like India is growing beyond cricket. Even in athletics we are winning medals. So I think it's great that times are changing and I hope we improve further and do better.

MN: What are the difficulties that you have faced in Indonesia during the Asian Games?

Manpreet: Actually, we didn't face any difficulty. We enjoyed ourselves in Indonesia. We met athletes from different nations and cultures. When India clinches a medal, we feel very proud.

MN: What message do you want to convey to the nation?

Manpreet: Earlier, people used to think that only cricket will earn them money and families didn't support their children if they pursued any sport other than cricket. But now, there is money coming from all sports - athletics, badminton, tennis and others. So, I want to appeal to all parents to support their children if they want to take up sports as a career. It will help our nation grow.