With seven points from their first three games and currently sitting second in Pool B, India have made a very promising start to their Olympic Games Paris 2024 hockey campaign.

Wins against New Zealand and Ireland either side of a draw with Argentina, the eight times Olympic champions have already confirmed their place in the quarter-finals. However, with matches against Belgium and Australia, the gold and silver medallists from Tokyo 2020, still to come, India – who won bronze in Tokyo – know that there is much to do if they are to top the standings and set up a meeting with the team that finishes fourth in Pool A.

While there is no such thing as an easy quarter final at the Olympic Games, the benefits of finishing as high as possible in the table are clear. With two matches to play, albeit against two genuine medal contenders, India have put themselves in a fantastic position. It is something not lost on India’s 28-year-old forward Sukhjeet Singh, who is competing in his first Olympic Games.

"Every match is important for us, but in the league stage we have been giving 100 percent in each and every game to give ourselves the best chance of a high finish (in Pool B)”, said Sukhjeet shortly after his team’s win over Ireland on Tuesday (30 July). “We played well in a structured way, having studied the Ireland team to see how they have been playing (here at Paris 2024). Based on those learnings, we practiced hard and did a really good job against them. We are progressing slowly, but we are doing well.”

Looking ahead to the huge games against the Red Lions and the Kookaburras – who contested a thrilling match on Tuesday evening, with Belgium storming to a 6-2 win – Sukhjeet explained that India are fully aware of the threat posed by the two teams and that developing a plan to stop them is very much underway.

“Both Belgium and Australia are the top-class teams currently, we know that”, said Sukhjeet. “We are strategically working on a game plan to give ourselves the best possible chance in the match.”

The chance to compete for India at an Olympic Games hockey competition is something that few are lucky enough to do. Sukhjeet - who was born in Jalandhar, Punjab – readily admits that being at Paris 2024 is something a dream, especially after the career threatening injury he suffered in 2018. Aged just 22, the rising star suffered a back injury that resulted in the temporary paralysis of his right leg, putting his hockey career on hold. The injury left him bedridden for many months, unable to walk or complete even the simplest of tasks.

In a recent interview with Hockey India, Sukhjeet recalled his days of struggle, explaining how his family, especially his father, Ajit Singh, a former hockey player for Punjab Police, helped him through this most challenging of times.

"That period was one of the toughest times of my life”, said Sukhjeet. “Being bedridden for almost five months was physically and mentally draining. I couldn’t walk, let alone play hockey, and even the simplest tasks like eating by myself became impossible. Each day felt like my dream of playing hockey was slipping further away, and it was incredibly disheartening. However, my family, especially my father, stood by me through it all. Their unwavering support and belief in my potential kept me going when I felt like giving up.”

Despite the setbacks, Sukhjeet’s dream has become an astonishing reality here at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, where India are looking to add to another medal to the brilliant bronze they claimed three years ago in Tokyo. In an attempt to summarise the path taken from then to now – a near impossible task – Sukhjeet said:

“After the injury in 2018 I went back to my hometown and prepared myself mentally in physically. Four years later, I started to attend trials to get back into the India team. I had been performing well in the local tournaments and I wanted to show what I could do. After that, I got selected and now I’m here, in the Olympic team. I am so proud to be here – it has been a very long journey.”

The hockey competitions at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 take place from Saturday 27 July to Friday 9 August. Both the men’s and women’s competitions feature 12 teams, split into two pools of six ahead of quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches. For more information about the hockey competitions at Paris 2024, visit Olympics.Hockey.