CUTTACK 12-Jul-2016
Hockey India today announced National men and women teams, comprising 16 players each for the Rio Olympic Games, scheduled to be held from August 5 to 21. Four players from Odisha were included in the Indian women team. They are defender Deep Grace Ekka, mid-fielder Namita Toppo and forwards Lilima Minz and Sunita Lakra.
Goalkeeper P R Sreejesh was named captain of the men`s team in place of regular skipper Sardar Singh, while Sushila Chanu was appointed captain of the women`s team in place of Ritu Rani, under whose leadership India qualified for the ensuing Olymics. Odisha defender Birendra Lakra, however, could not find a berth in the Indian men`s team owing to injury. Ritu Rani dropped from the team on disciplinary ground.
The men’s squad has risen consistently up the world rankings since the Asian Games in 2014. Ranked 13 in the world after the London Olympics, the team is now poised at No 5 after their heroics at the recently concluded FIH Champions Trophy.
Women hockey competition, featuring 12 teams, will take place from August 7 to 19. India qualified for women competition of the Olympic Games after a gap of 36 years. The 12 women teams have been divided into two pools. Indian women have been placed in Pool B along with Japan, Great Britain, Australia, USA and Argentina.
India will play their opening match against Japan on August 7. Semifinals will take place on August 17 and the final on August 19. Pool A has been formed with Netherlands, New Zealand, China, Germany, Korea and Spain.
Congratulating the four Odisha players, Odisha Cricket Association secretary Asirbad Behera declared cash award of Rs 25,000 for each of them, while Odisha Olympic Association general secretary in-charge Rabindra Kumar Parida announced Rs 10,000 each.
A total of six sportspersons from Odisha have, so far, been selected to represent India in the 31st edition of the Olympic Games. Earlier, women sprinters Dutee Chand and Srabani Nanda qualified for 100m and 200m events respectively.
INDIA TEAMS WITH INTERNATIONAL CAPS:
MEN: Goalkeeper: PR Sreejesh (Captain, 156). Defenders: V R Raghunath (214), Rupinder Pal Singh (144), Kothajit Singh (131), Harmanpreet Singh (16), Surender Kumar (24). Mid-fielders: Danish Mujtaba (160), Chinglensana Singh (110), Manpreet Singh (156), S K Uttappa (94), Devinder Walmiki (29), Sardar Singh (247). Forwards: S V Sunil (Vice-captain, 190), Akashdeep Singh (102), Ramandeep Singh (72), Nikkin Thimmaiah (71). Coach: Roelant Oltmans
WOMEN: Goalkeeper: Savita (121). Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka (101), Sushila Chanu (Captain, 112), Deepika Thakur (Vice-captain, 172), Sunita Lakra (71), Namita Toppo (92). Mid-fielders: Renuka Yadav (24), Lilima Minz (72), Monika (54), Navjot Kaur (68), Nikki Pradhan (12). Forwards: Rani (154), Poonam Rani (159), Vandana Katariya (139), Anuradha Devi Thockchom (86), Preeti Dubey (9). Coach: Neil Hawgood.
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PHOTO: Rio Olympics bound Indian women hockey team in New Delhi on July 12, 2016.
