The 2020/21 Tokyo Olympic Games was a dream come true for me. I think we can all agree that during pandemic everything was a little different. It was a tough period for everyone in the world and personally as a sportsman (hockey player) when they announced that it was going to be postponed, this was probably one of the biggest upsets for me and most athletes around the world as you have been
preparing for this moment for weeks, months and years before.

Our prep going into the Tokyo Olympic Games was a little different as we still faced the
challenges with Covid 19. This period for the South Africa men's hockey team was when we got together and had to be put in a bubble, follow strict Covid rules and be separated from our families and friends. pre Olympics , we had a camp which was held in Potchefstroom South Africa prior to the Olympic Games. But months and weeks before this, this was where things got incredibly hard.

Everyday you wake up with so much uncertainty of whether it will still happen or not but you get up and you do everything in your power to make sure you stay ready. This is what I tried to focus on individually, staying ready and making sure I put in all the work building up to Tokyo.

The experience itself is something one cannot explain, even though spectators were not allowed to watch, rules were to be followed, this was still one of the best experiences of my life. I think what was truly special was being surrounded by these top athletes who have sacrificed so much over a period of time for this moment. I think representing your country at one of the highest levels and at the biggest sporting event in the world is indescribable. My dream is always to reach the pinnacle of every tournament and complete at this level.

The build up to Paris 2024 has started weeks after Tokyo. I say this because personally this is something that's always been in the back of mind. To experience this again would be one of my goals, everyday I am in the gym or training pitch I have this in the back of my mind which reminds me of how important it is to put in that extra work.

I think itʼs not long now until Paris and my biggest dream would be to play in the play off games with my country and make the most out of this experience and leave there with no regrets. I am looking forward to experiencing what Paris has installed and I will continue to work hard and try my best to make the squad.

Currently the national team has a spread of players that are playing in Europe which is important to improve , however this means that we don't spend much time together as a group but guys are playing in some of the highest levels in the world , playing competitive hockey every weekend means that we are improving and trying our best to get better every single day . I think with the limited resources financially itʼs always going to be tough as a nation as hockey as a sport in South Africa is not invested in enough and we are hoping that this changes one day . However we can't use this as an excuse when we play . We use this as our motivation to give more. Personally I am also looking forward to playing in one of the best leagues in the world next season to prepare as best I can for Paris 2024, there are some exciting times ahead and I will continue to take it day by day.

Mustapha Cassiem
South African Hockey Player