‘Baton has been passed, the legacy lives on’: 1982 champions hail India women’s Asian Games hockey triumph

Being the captain of the 1982 gold-winning team, Eliza Nelson was moved to tears as she watched India hold off China to reclaim the title, sitting faraway in the U.S. For Selma D’Silva, the victory brought back memories of the hard work and challenges they had faced on their way to the top.

Updated : Oct 02, 2026 21:26 IST , MUMBAI - 3 MINS READ

Indian women’s hockey team won an Asian Games gold medal after 44 years. | Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy and Anurita Saini/Facebook

The wait was long, but for Eliza Nelson, watching India win the women’s Asian Games hockey gold again after 44 years made it all the more special.

Being the captain of the 1982 gold-winning team, Nelson was moved to tears as she watched the current generation hold off China to reclaim the title, sitting faraway in the U.S.

Led by Nelson, the 1982 team had won the gold under coach Balkrishan Singh. With Nelson now out of the country, the other members of that team were glued to their television sets on Friday, reliving their own triumph as India ended its long wait for the title.

“It took 44 long years, but seeing them reclaim the Asian Games title, just like we did in 1982, feels like an amazing victory,” Nelson told Sportstar.

India had to withstand relentless pressure from China after taking an early lead and held on to secure the gold and qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. “They played with incredible grit, defending that early lead through every relentless wave of pressure,” Nelson said.

“To see them step off that podium not just as Asian champions, but with their ticket to the LA 2028 Olympics secured, fills me with immense pride. The torch has been passed, and the legacy lives on,” an emotional former India captain said.

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For Selma D’Silva, another member of the 1982 team, the victory brought back memories of the hard work and challenges they had faced on their way to the top.

“It’s an incredible win for the team. They have waited for so long and come close in the past, but this is historic,” D’Silva said.

“We’re all quite excited. We know exactly what they went through.”

Recalling the struggles under Balkrishan, D’Silva said the 1982 team, too, had to overcome doubts before proving its worth. “We remember the hard work we had to put in, with Balkrishan as our coach. Those were different times, but the struggles were similar. Not many counted us in back then, but we proved our mettle,” she said.

“We also had many emotional moments,” she said. “Since that victory, four decades ago, we would often tell ourselves that when will a new team win another medal. That’s something all of us discussed whenever we spoke. And today is the day....” an emotional D’Silva said.

For D’Silva, the latest triumph was a reminder of how far the team had come and how much the gold meant to Indian women’s hockey. “It’s a well-deserved victory,” she said. “All of us wish them all the best for whatever they do here on.”