Vandana Attributes Her Success to Legends Pillay, Ronaldo, and Bolt as India's Leading Woman Hockey Player

New Delhi, April 1 (NationPress) The forward of the Indian women's hockey team, Vandana Katariya, announced her retirement from international hockey on Tuesday. She shared that her motivation came from icons like Dhanraj Pillay, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Usain Bolt, which kept her invigorated throughout her impressive 15-year tenure with the senior squad.

With a record of 320 international appearances and 158 goals, Vandana stands as the most-capped player in Indian women’s hockey history. She described her retirement as an emotional moment, stating, "It was a very hard decision to take. We stay with each other more than a family, so leaving them was an emotional decision. To feel and understand this decision is really difficult. Today I felt too emotional and took the decision to announce my retirement," she conveyed in an exclusive discussion with IANS.

Throughout her career, she has amassed numerous accolades, with the 2013 Junior World Cup victory where she was the top scorer and the fourth-place finish at the Tokyo Olympics being particularly significant to her.

"There were a lot of highs in my career from winning the bronze medal in the Junior World Cup in 2013 to qualifying for the Rio Olympics in 2016 to winning a gold medal in the Asia Cup in 2017 to winning a silver medal in the Asian Games to missing out on a medal and finishing fourth in the Tokyo Olympics. Among these, the Tokyo Olympics and the 2013 Junior World Cup are the most special moments for me," she asserted.

Vandana reflected on the heartbreak of the Tokyo Olympics, expressing hope for redemption in Paris, although she missed the qualifiers in Rachi due to an injury. "The team performed well, but I think luck was not on our side. Had we won the match against Germany, then we would have qualified for the Paris Olympics," she noted.

The seasoned athlete emphasized the importance of dedicating time to training to achieve peak performance. "I feel players must be disciplined in their diet, recovery, and fitness. We all train together with our coaches and support staff, but I feel players who give themselves extra time stand out. I've always played with high energy and kept myself fit throughout my career," she shared.

When discussing her durability in the sport and her favorite athletes, Vandana credited international icons including Ronaldo and Bolt for influencing her career. "I'm a fan of Dhanraj Pillay as he was also a forward and also followed (Cristiano) Ronaldo and Usain Bolt a lot in my life. Players are very disciplined these days and are ready for the high-performance requirement of the Indian team," she disclosed.

She also emphasized the positive impact of the Women's Hockey India League in boosting the confidence of young players for upcoming competitions. "The Women's HIL was much-needed as it boosts the personal confidence of players. Even players other than the Indian camp also received an opportunity to prove themselves. We have a strong chance of clinching a medal in next year's World Cup and 2028 Olympics as the team is doing really well," she mentioned.

Vandana, who is 32, has yet to determine her future career path but is open to coaching opportunities while confirming her intention to compete in the next HIL season. "I'm completely fit and I'm ready for any opportunity, including coaching (if required) and playing. I've not decided anything yet, nothing is coming to my mind. I will play in the next edition of the HIL. She played for the Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers in the inaugural edition earlier this year.

Recalling her early struggles, Vandana shared how her hockey journey began in the fifth grade. "I used to play kho kho in school in the fifth standard. My sisters used to play hockey, and I also joined them, and that is how my journey started in the sport. Now, the sport has given us a lot to live a healthy life, but I have faced situations when we struggled to manage food two times a day. I have faced a time when we four siblings had only one pair of shoes.

"When I moved to Lucknow hostel, I received a kit, shoes, and proper food. My father had to sell his cattle, but he did not tell us. There were many challenges, but everything is fine now," she recalled.

In conclusion, she expressed gratitude for her journey and the opportunity to be inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's motivational talks before and after the Tokyo Olympics. "Players' dreams are never-ending as they push for more, but after meeting him (PM Modi), it was very motivational. He inspires you so much to perform the best for the team," Vandana concluded.