Exclusive: Indian hockey captain Rani Rampal gears up for Tokyo showdown post COVID-19 recovery
A month after battling the COVID-19 virus, India women’s hockey team captain Rani Rampal is back on the field with her same old spirit and zeal. Rani, whose goal against the USA ensured India a spot at the Tokyo Olympics, confirmed that she has regained the desired level of fitness and has begun training with the old intent for the showpiece event, which is currently scheduled to go as per plans.
“I started to train slowly after completing the mandatory 14-day quarantine period. The doctors too had advised against high-intensity training. But now it’s almost a month since I’ve recovered, and have started training at full pace,” Rani told Zee News English in an exclusive interview.
Giving insights on her work module post-COVID recovery, Rani credits the changes she made in her lifestyle, which according to the 26-year-old has helped immensely.
“It was very difficult initially. I used to quickly drain out while practicing, there was weakness post-recovery. But I have given special attention to several factors.
“Eating healthy food, sleeping in time, and keeping my body hydrated has been the main area where I’ve been focusing to keep myself fit,” said Rani.
Rani, who is currently lodged at the Sports Authority of India center in Bengaluru with 24-other Tokyo probable, discussed in length the team’s preparation, and in doing so, the forward also spoke about a specific routine that they have come up with.
“Apart from the regular training, we also practice an hour daily in the heat, when we feel the temperature to be maximum.
“There are sessions in the day, which normally start at 10:30 to 12:30 or 11.00 to 1.30 in the morning, apart from the regular evening sessions,” said the forward, who is also the only women hockey player to win the prestigious Khel Ratna award.
