KUALA LUMPUR: All national men’s hockey squads have commenced training sessions in preparation for the Olympic qualification scheduled in Muscat, Oman, from Jan 13 to 21, with the primary target of securing a spot in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Head coach, A. Arul Selvaraj, said that all seven players who had previously suffered injuries have fully recovered and participated in the training session that started this morning.
“All of them are back in good health. Some have just returned from the New Zealand tour, and others have recovered from injuries. Even though they were injured before, they continued with aerobic exercises during rehabilitation.
“They need to be pushed in terms of physical aerobic fitness, they have to work a bit harder,“ he said when contacted by Bernama today.
During training, Arul said his focus was on reducing tactical errors among his players and ensuring wise decision-making on the field in preparation for the Olympic qualification in Oman.
He stressed the need to minimise mistakes for a successful qualification. The training phase this week aims to concentrate on individual focus to improve decision-making without errors.
Arul also mentioned that the Speedy Tigers will receive professional assistance from Australia’s Glenn Turner in Oman before the qualification matches begin. Regarding the selection of the main squad, the coach acknowledged the difficulty of finalising the player list due to the disciplined and satisfactory performances of all players. He plans to announce the main squad on January 1 or 2 after the remaining week of training.
In Oman, the national squad is scheduled to face Great Britain, Pakistan, and China in Group A, while Group B comprises Germany, New Zealand, Canada, and Chile. As a reminder, six tickets to Paris 2024 are available in the Olympic Qualification, with three in Oman and three in Valencia, Spain.–Bernama
