'Lost match but won hearts.' Women's hockey team gets lauded for their gritty fight at Tokyo Olympics

'May have lost the match, but you have won our hearts.'
This is one statement which is being sung by every Indian in unison who watched the women's hockey team put up a great fight against Great Britain in semifinals at the Tokyo Olympics, despite the loss in bagging a medal.

The women's team had already scripted history, surpassing every expectation by winning a spot at the semifinals of the Games for the first time. The girls signed off with a forth place finish after losing the bronze to Great Britain.


Women's hockey team may have failed to secure its maiden Olympic medal as it lost 3-4 to Great Britain in a hard-fought bronze play-off but their gritty fight at the Games is being applauded all over the country. The defeat comes a day after the Indian men's team broke the 41-year-old medal drought by bagging bronze against Germany with a 5-4 win at the Olympics this year.

"We will always remember the great performance of our Women's Hockey Team at Tokyo 2020," said Prime Minister Narendra Modi, adding that India is proud of the outstanding team.

"We narrowly missed a medal in Women's Hockey but this team reflects the spirit of New India- where we give our best and scale new frontiers. More importantly, their success at #Tokyo2020 will motivate young daughters of India to take up Hockey and excel in it. Proud of this team," PM Modi tweeted.

The women's hockey team coach, Sjoerd Marijne thanked everyone for their support and said that the team may have missed the medal, but they certainly won something bigger. " We have made Indians proud again and we inspired millions of girls that dreams CAN come true as long as you work hard for it and believe it!" he wrote on Twitter.

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar congratulated the girls for giving their best and fighting till the very end. Tendulkar said that though the team couldn't secure a medal, they have won many hearts. "Well done Team India on giving your best and fighting till the very end. You may have lost the match but you have won our hearts. We are all very proud of you," Tendulkar said.

Indian businessman Anand Mahindra also joined others to show support and applaud the fight women's team put up. The billionaire said that the women's hockey team has started a revolution that is unstoppable. "Today we heard the underdogs growl ferociously…. They will have their day. They have started a revolution that is unstoppable," he tweeted.

Former cricketers Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman and Anil Kumble said the spirit with which the women's hockey team performed will serve as an inspiration for the next generation.


Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, who aced the role of the women's hockey team coach in 'Chak De India', said we have all the reasons to hold our heads high and that the girls have inspired everyone in India. "You all inspired everyone in India. That itself is a victory," Khan tweeted.

Former captain of Indian hockey team, Viren Rasquinha applauded the team, saying that his 7-year-old daughter felt the sting of defeat for the first time in her young life, but was also taken by how well the women played.