KUALA LUMPUR: Sports is just entertainment and recreation for the masses, but for some, it’s their lifetime dream where they sacrifice blood and sweat to reach glory.
But not for India’s junior hockey team captain Uttam Singh, 21, who took up the sport solely to fulfill his father Krishnakant Singh’s dream.
Krishnakant wanted to become a national player, but had to forget the dream after his father passed away during his teenage years, forcing him to become the family’s breadwinner at the cost of leaving his hockey aspirations.
However, despite being a poor farmer in Karampur, Uttar Pradesh, he ensured his son Uttam pursued his dream in hockey since small and spend his hard earned money to achieve the aspiration.
Uttam, 21, did it in style by not only making into the national junior team, but led the team to win the 2022 Sultan of Johor Cup (SOJC) and 2023 Junior Asia Cup.
“My father wanted me to play the game when I was a little boy, I am very happy to have achieved his dreams and carried on his legacy as a hockey player.
“Like any other player, I want to bring back the Olympic gold to India one day,” Uttam told reporters during the Junior Hockey World Cup (JWC) in Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium here.
Yesterday, Uttam scored India’s winning goal, a penalty corner in the 57th minute to beat Netherlands 4-3 after trailing 0-2 in the first half.
After missing out on the JWC medal in 2021 edition held on home soil in Bhubaneswar after losing go France in the bronze medal playoff, Uttam hopes to have a fruitful outing in his last JWC before moving into senior team.
In the semi-finals tomorrow, India are set to face Germany, who ousted defending champions Argentina 2-1. France will take on Spain in the other semi-final match. – BERNAMA
