Indian women’s hockey team had made history on Monday by defeating Australia in 1-0, thus making their place in the semi final for the first time in the Olympics. India’s Gurjit Kaur scored the match’s only goal in the second quarter.
Many, including politicians and celebrities, have taken to social media to celebrate the win.
It’s being seen as remarkable in a country where cricket often overshadows other sports. Former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag called it “an absolute wow moment”, adding that he was “filled with pride”.
Australia had conceded just one goal in the tournament so far, but the Indian players held on to their nerves and did not allow Australia to dominate.
India’s best performance in the Olympics came way back in the 1980 Moscow Games where they finished fourth out of six teams. In that edition of the Games, women’s hockey made its debut in the Olympics and the sport was played in a round-robin format with top two teams qualifying for the final.
India showed a great mix of aggression and strategy throughout the game. They looked in command and the Savita Punia-led defense let down Australian attacks skillfully, especially in the last quarter when Emily Chalker’s side desperately looked for an equaliser.
Source: BBC News