India’s Hockey Juggernaut Rolls Over Asia, Claims Fifth Crown
Indian Hockey Team sealed their fifth Asian Champions Trophy victory in a match that was more of a chess game than a hockey final. For 50 long minutes, China’s defense stood like an immovable wall until India’s wizards, Jugraj and Harmanpreet Singh, conjured up some magic from the sticks. It was a slick assist from Harmanpreet that helped to finally crack open China’s defense for Jugraj’s shot to come through and seal a 1-0 win for India. And before you knew, the wall came tumbling down. India’s Unstoppable Streak: Seven Matches, Seven Wins Let’s face facts – Indian Hockey Team just had the tournament in their pocket. Seven games, seven wins, most goals scored, and the fewest conceded. Harmanpreet Singh, who doesn’t bat an eyelid when pressure is on, scored seven penalty corner goals, hitting the 200-goal mark while he was at it. Even when he wasn’t scoring, Harmanpreet was out there being his version of a hockey Jedi, controlling the game with precision passes and calm decision-making. Young Guns Steal the Show It wasn’t all veterans hogging the limelight. India’s youngsters – Uttam Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal and Mohammed Raheel – came crashing the party. Uttam was even good enough to outscore a few of India’s Olympic stars by netting four goals. Meanwhile, Raheel was something of a midfield Duracell bunny, running himself into the ground with tackles and crisp passes. Coach Craig Fulton must be rubbing his hands in glee at the attacking depth he now has at his disposal. Pakistan and China: The Surprise Package and The Fun Factor While Indian Hockey Team basked in their well-deserved glory, China and Pakistan added their own flavor. Pakistan’s high-octane attacking style was a delightful throwback to their golden days, with Shahid Hannan dribbling his way to six goals. Meanwhile, China stunned everyone by reaching the final with a squad young enough to still need permission slips from school. What’s Next? A Youthful Revolution Coach Fulton does not rest on his laurels either. Another camp brews with a fresh lot of players all set to come in and keep the hockey machinery of India in top-notch working conditions. An under-25 contingent for a tour of the Netherlands and Belgium is on the radar. If this tournament was any indication, India’s hockey future is as bright as a Harmanpreet drag flick. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India’s 13th Olympic Hockey Medal; The Most Any Country Has
The Indian hockey team earned its first Olympic medal at the 1928 Amsterdam Games, where they scored 29 goals across five matches to secure the gold medal. Dhyan Chand, renowned for his extraordinary skill, scored 14 of those goals, including a hat-trick in the final against the Netherlands. In the Paris Olympics 2024, under the leadership of Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian men’s team claimed their 13th Olympic hockey medal by defeating Spain in the bronze medal match. Read this to know how the Indian Hockey Team bagged a bronze at Paris 2024. Here is a complete list of all the medals won by India in hockey at the Olympic Games. INDIAN HOCKEY TEAM’S DREAM RUN AT OLYMPICS OVER THE YEARS MEDAL EDITION Gold Amsterdam 1928 Gold Los Angeles 1932 Gold Berlin 1936 Gold London 1948 Gold Helsinki 1952 Gold Melbourne 1956 Silver Rome 1960 Gold Tokyo 1964 Bronze Mexico City 1968 Bronze Munich 1972 Gold Moscow 1980 Bronze Tokyo 2020 Bronze Paris 2024 India has a rich tradition in men’s hockey, winning as many as eight gold medals. The last time India won gold, though, was in 1980. Other than these eight golds, India has won a silver medal in 1960 and three bronzes in 1968, 1972, 2020 and most recently at the Paris Olympics 2024. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India faces Germany in do-or-die hockey semis
In a keenly awaited semifinal at high-stakes Paris Olympics 2024, India is up against World champion Germany at the Yves du Manoir Stadium on Tuesday, 06th August, 2024, with the challenge of defending without its key player, Amit Rohidas. Rohidas got a red card in the quarter-final match against Great Britain and has been suspended for one game; the appeal by Hockey India to get the order reversed was turned down. Resilient Defense: India’s Strength Though Rohidas was missing, India showed some steel to fight out three quarters without their main player against Great Britain before bucking up a great defense that has increased manifold compared to the earlier pool matches. The victory came and now it will face an even more supreme German side that is adept at offense, scoring the most number of goals in the tournament while winning five out of its six matches. Past Encounters and Current Expectations While India had mixed results against Germany this year, with a victory and defeat in the FIH Pro League last June, the Olympic stage is intense and should raise the competition a notch higher. In the case of Rohidas, which affected the strategy of rolling substitution by the team, Manpreet will be called upon to essentially cover up at the back. On the other side, India’s strengthened defense needs to be extra cautious against Germany’s prolific scorers Christopher Ruhr and Justus Weigand. At the same time, drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh will also have a significant role in maximizing the potential created from penalty corners as much as possible without Rohidas, both as a penalty corner extractor and rusher. Anticipation for a Thrilling Match Germany would look towards carrying the winning momentum forward after getting the better of Argentina in the quarters, while India will look forward to rise to the occasion as it has done so many times in times of adversity. It’s going to be a great game of hockey with both teams promising a high level of hockey. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
This opportunity motivates me to work even harder and contribute to our team’s success,’ says Sanjay on playing in his maiden Olympics in Paris
Sanjay first caught the nation’s attention during the 2021 Junior Hockey World Cup, where he emerged as the highest scorer for India with eight goals New Delhi, 23rd July 2024: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team player Sanjay, who is a formidable defender and drag-flicker from Dabra village near Hisar, Haryana, is set to make his debut at the Olympics in Paris. Emerging as one of the most promising players in Indian hockey, Sanjay’s journey from a small village to the grand stage of the Olympics is a testament to his hard work and dedication. Speaking about playing in his maiden Olympics, Sanjay said, “I am honoured to be a part of the Indian team for the Paris Olympics. Like any other player, it was my dream to play in the Olympics, so I am happy that my hard work paid off and I made it to the squad for the Paris Olympics. This opportunity motivates me to work even harder and contribute to our team’s success. I look forward to making my country proud at the biggest sporting stage.” “My family was overjoyed when I shared the news of my selection for the Paris Olympics. Their blessings and encouragement have been a tremendous source of motivation for me to give my best in the event and make them proud,” he added. Sanjay first caught the nation’s attention during the 2021 Junior Hockey World Cup, where he emerged as the highest scorer for India with eight goals, including two hat-tricks. His outstanding performance not only made him the third-highest scorer in the tournament but also showcased his potential as a future star in Indian hockey. Sanjay made his senior team debut in June 2022 and quickly made an impact by helping India win the inaugural FIH Hockey5s. His contributions to the team have been significant, and his skills as a drag-flicker have been instrumental in securing crucial victories. He has also participated in major tournaments such as the 19th Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China and the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023, where the team clinched Gold medals. His performance in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021 earned India a 4th position, and he secured a silver medal in the 3rd Youth Olympic Games 2018. Also, in recognition of his talents, Sanjay was awarded the Hockey India Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men) Under-21 in 2021. Now Sanjay’s complete focus is on the Paris Olympics and he aims to take it one game at a time and not get ahead of himself. “I will focus on the Olympics by taking it one game at a time and giving my hundred percent in each match. My goal is to stay fully present and committed, ensuring that I contribute to my team’s success with every opportunity on the field. This is the moment I’ve worked so hard for, and I intend to make the most of it,” he stated. Further revealing his ultimate dream as a player, Sanjay said, “Ever since I picked up a hockey stick, I have dreamed of winning Gold medals at the Olympics and the World Cup. Representing my country on these prestigious platforms and bringing home the Gold has always been my ultimate goal. I am deeply committed to making my nation proud through my dedication and hard work on the field.” India will commence their Paris 2024 Olympics campaign on 27th July when they take on New Zealand in their first pool B match at 2100hrs IST.
