Hockey skipper Manpreet and shuttler Srikanth focus on attaining top fitness

Indian hockey team captain Manpreet Singh and shuttler Kidambi Srikanth have both put fitness goals on top of their to-do list for the year 2021 as they look to succeed on the international stage after a coronavirus-wreaked 2020.

The coronavirus pandemic brought the world to a standstill for a brief period and sports to suffered as players had to stay indoors to fight the deadly virus. Indian athletes have entered the year 2021 with renewed energy and have set new goals.

Talking about his goals for the year 2021, Red Bull athlete Srikanth said: "I would like to be physically fit and do well in all the tournaments that I play."

He also said: "The New Year resolution that I managed to hold onto was to get physically better. I think I managed to work on my physical fitness and get better."

Also, one thing that Srikanth learnt from the last year is "not to take anything for granted."

Srikanth will now be seen in action in the Thailand Open, set to begin on January 12 in Bangkok.

Setting similar goals as Srikanth, hockey team captain Manpreet said: "The fitness goal I want to achieve this year would be to improve on my speed and strength."

Reflecting on the New Year resolution that he actually managed to hold through 2020, Manpreet said: "To maintain my fitness and my mental health. Despite things not going exactly as I had planned, I managed to follow the fitness routine I had set for myself."

Talking about his learnings from the last year, he said: "Being positive and patient no matter how difficult the situation because I learnt that if you are positive you will definitely find a way out of it."

( With inputs from ANI )