Savita Punia targets Olympic podium after historic Asian Games gold
Savita Punia said in an interview at the PTI office in New Delhi on October 16, 2026 that she believes an Olympic medal is attainable after making a decisive penalty-stroke save in India's Asian Games final against China, a victory that ended a 44-year wait for gold.
The 36-year-old told PTI she had considered retirement last year but was persuaded to continue by Hockey India and by the arrival of coach Sjoerd Marijne, and she cited India’s fifth-place finish at the World Cup this year alongside the Asian Games triumph as milestones on the way to the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Savita is a Padma Shri awardee and a three-time FIH Goalkeeper of the Year.
She described her near-retirement last year and the sequence that followed: "I mailed Hockey India last year, saying that I no longer wanted to play, but the federation stopped me from retiring. I even left the camp and went home, but then Sjoerd Marijne took over as coach, and I felt I could still play," said the 36-year-old.
On rekindling her love for the game she added: "I missed hockey a lot. Achievements are one thing, but when you play with enjoyment, you feel like doing even better. I played in Tokyo with this coaching staff and felt that I could play again," said the Padma Shri awardee.
Recalling the penalty stroke in the Asian Games final, Savita explained the decision-making in the moment: "The Chinese player had scored a goal in the World Cup with a shot to the left. I had to see whether she would shoot to the left or the right. I made eye contact with Bichu, and before the match, we had decided to go left. I paused a bit, and that's what I did," she said.
She credited support staff for her comeback after ankle surgery last year, naming Wayne Lombard, head of athletics performance, and goalkeeping consultant Pirmin Blaak alongside coach Sjoerd Marijne: She "credited Wayne Lombard, head of athletics performance for the women's team, for helping her make a successful comeback following ankle surgery last year." "Our goalkeeping is being praised, but the crucial contributions of coach Sjoerd Marijne, Wayne and goalkeeping consultant Pirmin Blaak cannot be forgotten," said Savita, a three-time FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award winner.
Speaking of her role in the squad and the team's recent trajectory, she said: "There were a lot of difficulties over the last two years. It was very difficult to mould this team into a unit. As a senior player, I also had a big responsibility to maintain coordination on and off the field because success can only be achieved if we play for each other. We worked hard on this." She also referenced public reaction to results: "We finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that this performance was no less than a medal. But then, when we failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics, people started saying that our performance in Tokyo was a fluke. "But we believed in ourselves, and with a new coaching staff, we found a new direction," she said.
On social pressures and her plans after retiring, Savita said: "I have been fortunate that my family has always supported me, but I have seen many of my friends' careers end under this pressure. If I had stopped playing because of my age, I would have missed out on the gold medal I had worked hard for over 20 years." She outlined a post-playing aim: "Even after retirement, I will remain involved in hockey. I believe that goalkeepers are not given enough attention at the domestic level. I would like to open my own goalkeeping academy so that I can produce good goalkeepers for Indian hockey."
The Asian Games gold also secured India's direct qualification for the Los Angeles Olympics, and Savita said: "My dream is to finish on the Olympic podium, and I am fully prepared for Los Angeles. I am sure the regret of Tokyo will be erased there."