Physical training camp in Abbottabad ends

KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team’s physical fitness training camp in Abbottabad concluded on Tuesday. The players will now gather in Karachi on May 19 to participate in the second phase of the training camp, assistant coach Muhammad Saqlain informed ‘The News’ on Monday.

He said that the Abbottabad training camp was meant only to improve the physical fitness of the players. He said that Australian physical fitness instructor Daniel Barry conducted the training camp for 15 days and worked to improve the players’ strength, speed, stamina, and agility. Saqlain said that Daniel was a specialist in his field and was recommended by head coach Roelant Oltmans.

He claimed that the physical condition of the players was much better. All players felt a lot of improvement in their overall physical fitness, Saqlain said. He further said that the team management also conducted tests to check players’ fitness level.

He said that Pakistan hockey team had been suffering at the international level because of low fitness level. “In modern day hockey, fitness plays a key role. “PHF has decided to get the GSP technology to maintain the highest level of fitness. The GSP system will be adopted in Holland when the Green-shirts reach there to participate in the 37th and last edition of Champions Trophy,” he added.

Saqlain mentioned that 19 top hockey-playing countries had already been using GSP technology. The current team management had urged PHF to buy this technology, he said. The assistant coach said that Pakistan team was now focused on winning the Asian Games, which are to be held in August and September.

“The Champions Trophy is an ideal opportunity for Pakistan to finalise their preparation and experiment before the Asian Games, through which we can directly qualify for the Olympics 2020,” Saqlain said.

He added that playing against five best teams of the world would give Pakistan great practice for Asian Games and World Cup, which is to be held in December. Saqlain said he expected the team to continue to show the commitment it showed in Commonwealth Games. He said that at the Karachi camp, the team management would work on hockey skills of the players.