Paris Olympics was very memorable for the Indian men's hockey team. India won the 13th medal in Olympic history by defeating Spain 2-1 in the bronze medal match. At the same time, after 52 years, the Indian hockey team also achieved the feat of winning 2 consecutive Olympic medals. But do you know, there is a strange similarity between the bronze medal of the Indian hockey team in Paris Olympics, Team India winning the Cricket World Cup in 2011 and Germany winning the Football World Cup in 2014. That is the name of Mike Horn. He is the person who has made a significant contribution in all these three victories.

Who is the real magician of the game, Mike Horn?

India won the Cricket World Cup in 2011 after 28 years. Germany won the FIFA World Cup trophy after a wait of 24 years. This time the Indian hockey team created history in the Paris Olympics. Let us tell you, Mike Horn has worked for all these three teams. 47-year-old Horn, born in South Africa, is a Swiss explorer and adventurer and works to encourage players.

The Indian hockey team had taken training from Mike Horn before the Paris Olympics. Harmanpreet Singh and his team went to Switzerland for a three-day boot-camp, which worked to boost the confidence of the Indian players. Mike Horn's guidance was very useful for the Indian hockey team, due to which it once again managed to win the bronze medal. During this three-day camp, the players spent the first night in Saanen, a village in the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland. On the second day, they cycled to Rougemont, rode a cable car and also climbed Via Ferrata. On the third day, they cycled to Rossinière and spent the night at a rural farm.

Eye sight was lost due to snake bite

Mike Horn made headlines in 2001 after completing a year, six months solo journey around the Aquator without any motor transport. In 2004, he completed a two-year, three-month solo circumnavigation of the Arctic Circle. In 2006, he became the first person to travel around the North Pole without dogsled or motorised transport, in permanent darkness during winter, with Norwegian explorer Borge Ousland. Horn did two years of military service in Angola's guerrilla war with South African Special Forces. Then, before his first major expedition to the Amazon, he joined the Brazilian Special Forces in Manaus to learn about survival in the jungle. Here he was bitten by a snake, due to which he lost his eyesight for 5 days. Despite this, he trained with the team.