Thaindian News

Kolkata, Feb 26 (IANS) Hockey legend Leslie Claudius Sunday congratulated the Indian team for making the cut for the London Olympics and hoped that the players would be able to bring back the nation’s days of glory in the sport.

“This is absolutely thrilling,” exclaimed the 84 year old Olympian, who holds the distinction of being part of three gold medal and one silver winning Indian teams at the quadrennial events.

Claudius, who has not been keeping well and was released from hospital only a couple of days back, watched the entire match notwithstanding objections from his family members as India returned to the Olympics after a gap of eight years.

He was effusive in his praise of drag flicker Sandeep Singh, who struck five goals including a hat-trick as India trounced France 8-1 to book a ticket for the upcoming London Olympics.

“Sandeep Singh played exceptionally well. He carried the Indian team on his back. It is due to him we have come up with such a performance,” Claudius told IANS.

“I certainly hope Michael Michael Nobb and his players do well in London and bring back the past glory we had in the sport,” said Caludius, who was part of the gold medal winning Indian Olympic teams in London (1948), Helsinki (1952) and Melbourne (1956) besides captaining the nation to a silver medal finish in Rome (1960).