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On Thursday, August 1, the Indian men's hockey team suffered a 1-2 defeat against the reigning Olympic and world champion Belgium in the Paris Olympics 2024 Pool B match. The team under the leadership has already qualified for the quarterfinals; however, after today’s defeat, the Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists won’t be topping Pool B anymore.
Before competing at the 33rd edition of the multi-sporting tournament, the members of the team participated in a three-day bootcamp with ‘life coach’ Mike Horn.
An usual and offbeat detour to their Paris Games preparation phase saw the Indian players and support staff land up at a bootcamp in Switzerland with the renowned South Africa-born Swiss adventurer. For those who don’t know, Horn had organised motivational sessions with the Indian cricket team during the 2011 World Cup campaign and had conducted similar camps with IPL teams, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders.
During the detour, the Indian hockey players walked with harnesses on glaciers, routed mountains with a via ferrata, tracked down waterfalls, completed long cycle journeys and did things they had never seen or done before. According to Horn, such bootcamps help athletes step out of comfort zones and develop ability to handle pressure as well as they help athletes navigate through situations which require quick decision making.
Horn was quoted by Hindustan Times as saying, "It’s about pushing boundaries, no matter the sport. First, the mental resilience by pushing athletes out of comfort zones helps them develop the ability to stay composed under pressure. Second, by facing challenges together, the team strengthens their bond and learns to rely on each other. Lastly, athletes learn to navigate unexpected situations and develop quick problem-solving skills.”
