Hockey legend Vandana Katariya retires

The Haridwar storm, which ran away like the wind and dive into Golmouth, unmarried by beating rods, ended with 158 goals of 320 games and an Olympic hat -trick. But on Tuesday, it was thought to retreat for a few months. Vandana, the first Indian woman to play more than 300 games, decided a snap-second-not contrary to how she regularly d.

“It is always a difficult decision, but it was to be taken at some point. I really didn’t talk to anyone about it, just worked on my feeling,” she would say during a 5-hour long media interaction during the marathon on Tuesday. “I have been talking to the press since morning. There is no time to think about future options – coaching, perhaps, maybe if I have to stay connected with the game,” she said. In a winning game of winning against South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics, his hat -trick where India finished 4th place will remain a permanent heritage.

She is remembering the team. “They became a habit. Eating with them, training with them almost grew up with them, stress, jokes and laughing,” he said.

Vandana Kataria played more than 300 matches for Team India. (Hockey India)

Vandana came from a very humble family in Haridwar, where her father was a technician in Bharat Heavy Electricals, but loved the game, he had a wrestling pits in the yard in front of him. He postponed the taunts to wear shorts, play football and play athletics, he drowned the racist and the sexist slars threw their way by the ignorant men, struggling with anemia and poor musculatory, depression, where he struggled to hold his place and finally, before he had turned around the world, before he was a junior world. Cup bronze won.

“I think the biggest change in Indian hockey is that we have learned to prepare professionally for every sport, diet, recovery, comfort, technology, coordination and mentally. It does not happen overnight. Our team took many years (7-8) to achieve success,” she says.

Through all this, just before the Tokyo Olympics, his father will support him, someone with a talent for zigzag drill. He died on the eve of the 2021 Games, but remains a voice in his head. “He always said one thing – when you participate in the hostel, it can most often be silent, in which no one is looking at you to check your dedication every second. The coach has many players.” One rupee was taken. Meh not (work hard to earn even one rupee). No shortcuts. “

Bronze at the Asian Games, the Asian Champions Trophy and the Silver will be raised in the Gold and Commonwealth Games in the Asia Cup, although the Giddy No-Medal running in Tokyo will be mentioned on the Indian brain in the 4th position, which will bring more happiness as Neeraj Chopra’s gold. However, all this was submerged in a room of tears after losing some of India’s early games and was sucking, sucking, sucking towards elimination after England’s match.

Vandana’s hat-trick proved invaluable to how difficult the opponents were, but to lift the team from the abyss of despair. “England was a terrible match, I remember that we cried in the meeting after that. Personally I had lost my father recently, and kept thinking how Kovid had futile efforts after spending away from all family, but talking, breathing, and hockey living in the camp in Bengalore.

Vandana announced her retirement on Tuesday. (Hockey India)

Recurring to choose any personal goal as a favorite, his most vivid memories were to celebrate the quarter -finals against Australia with the team. While he had good relations with Navneet, Neha and Sushila, Vandana also gave herself precious in adjusting himself with a new flock of players, some of whom will continue to play in the hill.

While India had never challenged for the top slot in women’s hockey, and its forwardline often fed up in the last third by strong teams, Vandana and the company managed silently in places set up to build a target. “(Time) leading and fitness was the most important for further, and we analyzed individual guards and created inroads. But the most difficult Holland defenders were, because their access was powerful and we had to exclude them, which required a strong mind and fitness,” she remembers.

While changing its speed in consistent and creating every raid in the circle count, a challenge remained through her career, no one would make a mistake on Vandana on the attempt-Given how many times she does in search of final-gaus deflections.

Vandana remains a shoe and a sneaker-free, one thing she loved more than hockey-from the heel pump of the child to the latest pumps. And he is happy with the new crop of players. “They come to the team with the assurance of fitness, diet and recovery compared to the world’s best players. They are ready for high performance games and rapid hockey demands. Their confidence is great to see.” It took him an Olympic hat -trick to get him a place of the same brain.