Ranchi’s FIH Olympic Qualifiers Showcase India’s Devotion to Excellence: Dilip Tirkey

The head of the national federation, Dilip Tirkey, said on Thursday that the forthcoming Women’s Hockey Olympic Qualifiers is a “testament to India’s commitment” to the sport and its pursuit of greatness on the world arena.

Eight nations, including the hosts To secure slots for the July–August Olympics in Paris, India will compete for the top three positions at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi from January 13–19.

According to Tirkey, “India’s dedication to the sport and our unwavering pursuit of excellence is demonstrated by the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi.”

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Hockey India’s (HI) hosting of the next competition was signed on Thursday.

“We really appreciate the help that the Jharkhand government has provided. Together, we want to create an unforgettable and prosperous competition that celebrates hockey culture and fosters global friendship.

This competition is one of three worldwide Olympic qualifying events; the other two are being held in Valencia, Spain (women’s and men’s) and Muscat, Oman (men’s).

After the Chinese women’s team qualified straight for the Paris Games, HI asked the international governing body of sport, FIH, to move the tournament to India. The event was initially scheduled to take place in China.

The men’s team, captained by Savita Punia, lost to eventual winners China in the semi-final, although they still qualified for the Olympics by winning the gold medal at the Asian Games the previous year.

In the end, the Indian women’s team took home the bronze medal at the Asian Games. Only the gold medal winners were eligible for the Olympic quota spot in the continental showcase.

In Pool B, India’s campaign against the USA will get underway on January 13. They are in a group with Italy and New Zealand.

Pool A consists of the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, and Chile.

Each pool’s top two teams advance to the semi-finals. The medal winners in gold, silver, and bronze will qualify for the Olympics.