ROURKELA 24-Nov-2011 286
Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) run SAIL Hockey Academy (SHA) has added another feather to its cap by winning the 9th All-India Gold Cup Hockey Tournament at Doraha, Ludhiana, Punjab earlier on November 20.
In the hard-fought final of the 5-day tournament, SAIL Hockey Academy defeated the Scindia Hockey Academy, Bhopal 2-1. Ingnacious Toppo (15th minute) and Deepak Kullu (40th minute) scored the goals for the winners.
Earlier, the Rourkela boys began their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Chandigarh Academy. Later in other matches, they drew with SAI, Kurukshetra 2-2, defeated Surjit Hockey Academy, Jallandhar 4-1 and in the semifinal got the better of National Academy, Ludhiana 2-1.
SAIL Hockey Academy captain Dilip Toppo was declared the best defender of the tournament which had attracted 21 teams from all over the country. The Rourkela team was awarded the Gold Cup and a cash prize of Rs 31,000.
This was the fourth tournament triumph of the year for SAIL Hockey Academy, which earlier won the BP Singh All-India Tournament at Balrampur (UP), the Vinod Khandkar All-India Tournament at Jhansi (both in January) and the Tata Steel Tournament at Sundargarh (August).
Players SAIL Hockey Academy and their coach Raju Saini were felicitated here today on their return home from Ludhiana. Hockey Olympian Michael Kindo, RSP General Manager (P&A) M K Barman, DGM (Sports) N K Acharya and DGM (Personnel) J N Mohanty were present in the felicitation function.
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PHOTO: SAIL Hockey Academy boys at the felicitation function in Rourkela on November 24, 2011.
