Monika Malik believes India have "a good balance of experience and youth" ©Getty Images

Monika Malik has said that "to do well at the Olympics" is the primary aim of both her and the Indian women's hockey team.

Malik, who was part of the team who finished last at Rio 2016, thinks that greater experience mixed with young talent will benefit India next year.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the Opening Ceremony now scheduled for July 23 2021.

At Rio 2016, India's women's team returned to the Olympic hockey competition for the first time since its debut at the Moscow 1980, ending a 36-year spell away from the Games.

The team came up short at the 2018 Asian Games, the first Tokyo 2020 qualifying tournament for Asian nations, before defeating the United States 6-5 in a last-chance qualifier over two legs to claim their spot.

"All of us have only one goal and that is to do well at the Olympics," Malik said.

"We have fine-tuned many of our skills in the recent past and we are ready to give everything we have to put up excellent performances at the quadrennial event next year.

"We have a good balance of experience and youth in our team and we are technically sound as well.

"We are eager to do well for our country."

India captain Rani Rampal has been nominated for the nation's most prestigious sporting award ©Getty Images
India captain Rani Rampal has been nominated for the nation's most prestigious sporting award ©Getty Images

Malik, along with her team mate Vandana Katariya and men's national team defender Harmanpreet Singh, has been nominated for the Arjuna Award, given by the Sports Federation of India to recognise outstanding achievement in sport.

Hockey India also announced that the women's captain Rani Rampal has been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, considered the highest sporting honour in India.

Katariya spoke about her pride of being nominated as well as that of her teammates, saying, "I am sure this nomination will be a huge motivation factor for us in the upcoming years.

"I couldn't have performed at my best if I didn't have wonderful teammates, they have always been on my side and the entire credit for my performances goes to them.

"It was fantastic to know that Rani had been nominated for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and I would like to congratulate her for the nomination, and Monika and Harmanpreet for being nominated for the Arjuna Award."

India's men's hockey team have qualified for Tokyo 2020 too, continuing a record of missing only one Games - Beijing 2008 - since debuting at Amsterdam 1928.

The Indian men are eight-time Olympic champions but have not been on the podium since 1980.