While remembering the match day, goalkeeper Savita said, “Now that I have finally had some time to reflect on our performance, I do feel we achieved something outstanding, and the best part was the journey to get here over the past five years. We have endured a lot as a team and as individuals faced tremendous odds to reach this level. I think we will always cherish this journey.”

“Though we lost very closely to Argentina in the semi-finals, we wanted to give our everything against Great Britain and we really wanted that medal around our necks and after beating Australia, we really believed this was achievable,” continued Savita, as quoted by The New Indian Express. She is among six players who have been nominated for the FIH awards. In the category of Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, her name is suggested along with Argentina’s Belen Succi and Great Britain’s Maddie Hinch.

Savita broke into tears after losing the adventurous Bronze medal match at the Tokyo Olympics. Her being consoled by the team’s Analytical Coach Jenneke Schopman depicted the entire nation’s feelings. The women in blue were regarded as the underdogs of the tournament. They stood 12th in Rio Olympics and a handful of people have predicted them to be medal competitors in Tokyo.

“But now I feel the expectations will grow. People have seen that we can perform at top tournaments, and I believe we can live up to these expectations. We now have the experience, and the team is poised to achieve bigger feats. The experience in Rio made us believe in ourselves and we really worked hard to get to this level, now we will work on taking it to the next level,” added she.

Savita said the team’s next goal is to play their best in the calendar year 2022. With a gap of just three years to the next Olympics, their focus is to dispose of outstanding matches at the upcoming Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, aiming mainly to get on the podium in Paris.

“I actually can’t wait to return to camp in SAI, Bengaluru. It has become a place of comfort for us. There has been a lot of celebrations following the Olympics and now it’s time to get back to reality. Next year is crucial with the Asian Games and our priority will be to win Gold so we automatically qualify for the Paris Olympics. We will resume training with that target in mind,” she concluded.

The post We aim for Paris now, says goalkeeper Savita Punia first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Lalremsiami, 21, was part of the national women’s team that stood fourth at the quadrennial games. In a mettlesome match for Bronze, the team in blue fought bravely against defending champions Great Britain but lost 3-4. 

She will arrive at her home state on August 25. And a grand welcome is being planned for her on August 26 at Vanapa Hall, Aizawl, shared Lalsangliana, states sports director. 

For her outstanding performance, the north-eastern state government had announced a reward amounting to 25 lakh, of which 10 lakh is being paid to her mother Lalzarmawii on June 24. Rest 15 lakh cash incentive, job appointment letter and others will be handed over to the hockey star during the function, added sports director. 

CM Zoramthanga took to Twitter to make the announcement. 

“Proud to announce that Govt. of Mizoram has approved the appointment of Ms Lalremsiami, National Hockey Player and the only Olympian from Mizoram at the Tokyo Olympic 2020 to the post of Chief Coach (Hockey) Group-A post under Sports & Youth Services Department,” he tweeted. The post is similar to the assistant director rank.

The state government had also allotted a plot measuring 691.85 m² in her hometown Kolasib, which borders Assam, belongs to the Land Resource & Water and Soil Conservation Department. 

Lalremsiami has set the benchmark by becoming the first female olympian from the sports-loving state. She’s also the second state representative at the Olympics after archer C Lalremsanga, who represented the country at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Olympics. 

The post Olympian Lalremsiami appointed as chief coach by Mizoram government first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Although today’s match was disappointing for team India as they were behind the opponent with just one goal. This, however, counted as the best performance of the women hockey team as they defeated the world no. 2 champions Australia in the quarters and made it to the semis for the first time at the Olympics.

Fingers crossed! Hoping for a medal in Hockey at the Olympics.

Here are the highlights of today’s match:

5:05 PM, Game Over! Argentina won over India 2-1. Well played teams.

5:03 PM, Umpire’s verdict, no penalty corner for India.

5:02 PM, India has gone for a referral asking for PC in the last two minutes of the game.

4:59 PM, India is eyeing on the equaliser but two minutes late. Argentina managed the game very well by keeping the ball in India’s half.

4:53 PM, Penalty corner to India. Argentina successfully saved itself. India still struggling to take lead.

4:51 PM, India is furious now, making continuous efforts to snatch the possession from the opponent.

4:47 PM, Fourth quarter begins. India has 15 minutes to turn the match in favour.

4:45 PM, End of the third quarter. India lags 1-2 against Argentina.

4:36 PM, Argentina still in dominion. India struggling to make raids in the opposition circle.

4:34 PM, Argentina’s goal upheld. South American team leads 2-1.

4:31 PM, This time Argentina converts the PC. That goes for an umpire referral though.

4:30 PM, Argentina earn a Penalty Corner in just five minutes entering the third quarter.

4:23 PM, Third quarter starts.

4:14 PM, Half time. Both teams are 1-1.

4:10 PM, Argentina earned a PC. Can India deflect it?

4:09 PM, the umpire reviews the video. No penalty corner for India this time.

4:07 PM, Another penalty for India. Argentina has gone for a referral.

4:05 PM, India failed to convert. Argentina survived again.

4:05 PM, Another PC for India.

4:05 PM, Argentina dodged off the ball almost immediately.

4:03 PM, Penalty corner to India. Rani Rampal and Salima Tete combined to get a PC for India.

4:00 PM, India is not happy. Looking to hit back on the opponent.

3:57 PM, At last, Argentina made a goal by taking advantage of the PC. Both stand 1-1.

3:54 PM, Another penalty corner to Argentina.

3:53 PM, Argentina failed to take advantage again. India is still in lead.

3:52 PM, Penalty corner to Argentina.

3:52 PM, Second quarter begins! Argentina is all set to attack back on the opponent. Tension hurling over the stadium.

3:52 PM, First quarter ends. India leads Argentina 1-0.

3:51 PM, Medical attention needed. Navneet Kaur has to leave the field for the moment after a head collision with an opponent player, who also left the field for treatment.

3:45 PM, The Argentines are eyeing for more of the ball, team India trying to defend at best.

3:40 PM, First penalty corner to Argentina. Can India stop the opponent?

3:39 PM, Argentina make a circle entry but the Indian defence hastily crowds out the opposition and the ball is averted from danger.

3:37 PM, India is all enthused, playing with full confidence. Argentina is trying to cope up with the early blow.

3:34 PM, And Goal! Gurjit Kaur successfully converts the PC. What a start. Well done team India!

3:32 PM, India is awarded a penalty corner. Can they convert it?

3:30 PM, Whistle blew! Sjoerd Marijne’s India went off to write a new chapter on the women hockey team’s achievement. Aimed to reach the place where no other team has ever been to. Argentina stands in the way of a historic final.

3:25 PM, Teams are ready. India started the match.

2:50 PM, After stunning Aussies, India is ready to take on Argentina. Can they beat the heavyweight champions team?

India women hockey team made it to the semifinals for the first time at the Olympics. The achievement is beyond words!

How does India come so far?

After giving a befitting reply to Australia, the Indian women hockey team qualified for the first time for the semifinal at the Olympics. India is just a win away to settle its victory in the Summer Games.

It was Gurjit Kaur’s strike that contributed to world no. 2 champion Australia’s defeat. Rani Rampal and her squad have prepared their grounds to take on the opponent, Argentina, on Aug 3. So far the women in blue have already performed their best at the Olympics, and should they succeed in defeating Argentina they will end in the top two spots on the podium.

India played its maiden quarter-final match against heavyweight Australia on Monday. Throughout the event, the national team struggled to score a goal, but the air blew to their favour only at 22’ with Gurjit Kaur being able to strike the lone goal, favouring India’s victory. Although Australians fought tooth and nail to give a befitting reply to India, Rani and her team managed to keep them at bay and clinched a heroic victory.

Team India was able to save eight giant PCs while converting only one that they got in the match to script a historical win at the Olympics. Before facing Australia, India took on Ireland and South Africa in their final group stage games.

“Very happy with the win, everybody worked very hard for this win. We performed like one team and we are feeling so happy to have qualified for the semifinals. Thank you to all those who supported the Indian women’s team. This team is like a family, including the coaching staff. Our entire country supports us and everybody’s prayers are with us,” said Gurjit Kaur, the lone goal-getter after winning the game. 

On the other hand, Argentina won over Germany 2-0 in their quarter-final battle. Argentina is positioned 5th in the world. They have claimed victory in five out of six matches, losing their opening match against New Zealand.

It will be a real test for team India to face a team like Argentina on the battleground.

Score Board of India

• India lost to Netherlands 5-1
• India lost to Germany 2-0
• India lost to Great Britain 4-1
• India beat Ireland 1-0
• India beat South Africa 4-3
• India beat Australia 1-0 (QF)

Score Board of Argentina

• Argentina lost to New Zealand 3-0
• Argentina beat Spain 3-0
• Argentina beat China 3-2
• Argentina beat Japan 2-1
• Argentina beat Australia 2-0
• Argentina beat Germany 2-0

The post INDvARG|Argentina won 2-1, India will battle for bronze against GBR first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

India kick-started a favourable week with the women team making their entry straight to the semifinals for the first time in the Olympics. The victory deciding goal is credited to the account of Gurjit Kaur. India won against the opponent 1-0.

Rani Rampal and her squad will face Argentina, who beat Germany 3-0 in the previous quarterfinal match, in the semis on Wednesday.

The women’s team has never been in the semifinals at the Olympics. They last performed in 1980, gave their best but ended at the fourth position among six teams. This is their third appearance at the Olympics – 1980, 2016 and 2020/21.

Here are the highlights of the match:

Women’s hockey quarterfinal – India vs Australia

8:30 AM, The whistle is blown followed by game rituals. Both the teams were on their toes to beat the opponent.

8:43 AM, India’s Sharmila taken out of the stadium, it appears to be a back injury for taking her out of the podium. The first quarter continues to be full of tension.

8:47 AM, None of the team was able to score a goal in the first quarter.

9:00 AM, Second-quarter began, brings joy to the cart of India as the team secured a goal against Australia.

9:13 AM, Gurjit Kaur kicked off a penalty corner that made India lead against the world No. 2 Australian team in Tokyo.

9:33 AM, Australia is anxious as India still leads. Five minutes left in Q3.

9:36 AM, Third quarter ends. India still holds the dominion.

9:46 AM, the fourth quarter advances. India defended the first five of the last 15 minutes successfully. Australia couldn’t permeate areas across the 23-yard mark. India leads 1-0.

10:00 AM, for the first time in the history team India made it to the semifinals in the Olympics.

Semifinals here comes team India, eager to meet you!!

The post …and history is created, women team reached semifinals for the first time first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

India is now at fourth place with six points. With this, the national team finished their group A league and will face pool B winner Australia in the quarterfinals on Monday. The top four teams from each group made it to the podium.

The last such success was in Moscow, 1980 when India reached the semi-finals but positioned fourth.

Give credits to Vandana Kataria who scored hat-tricks that favoured India’s victory against South Africa. Kataria scored at 4′, 17′, 49′, with this she became the first woman hockey player to score a hat-trick in the Olympics. While Young Neha Goyal scored the other goal at 32′.

Opponent players Tarryn Glasby, skipper Erin Hunter, and Marizen Marais scored (15th), skipper Erin Hunter (30th) and Marizen Marais (39th) got the goals for the team.

“Today’s game was really tough, South Africa gave us a really good fight. They converted their chances in the circle. Defensively, we can be a lot better,” skipper Rani said, as quoted by NDTV.

Although chief coach Sjoerd Marijne was a bit relaxed but wasn’t much excited with the number of goals India admitted.

“We gave too many goals away, and I think we can score more goals, that is the main thing for today. We did what we had to do, we had to win this match, and we did,” he said.

“Playing in these circumstances, you feel it, the humidity and I think it’s more than 35 degrees on the pitch, it does not make it easy,” he added further.

The post Tokyo 2020 | Women hockey team lands up at quarterfinals, a robust win after 41 years first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Hailing from Sonipat, Haryana, Nisha was born to a tailor father who works in a retail store. He was instrumental in her career in representing team India on the international stage. “He battled every day to make sure the family is having three meals. Such conditions didn’t discourage him and he always motivated me to play Hockey,” stated Nisha.

“Now, through hockey, I am confident I will be able to support my family financially and bring them out of poverty,” affirmed Nisha.

After a delay of one year due to the Covid pandemic, the Olympics is scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan, from July 23. A high spirited Nisha is very grateful for the opportunity she had been provided with the Hiroshima event. “Since my debut in Hiroshima, I have been getting the right exposure and opportunity to prove myself and I feel very fortunate that I was picked in the squad for the Tokyo Olympics. Very few people get to live this dream so early in their international career,” said she, as quoted by The Bridge.

The Tokyo Olympics are about to kick off. Team India will face the Netherlands, World No. 1, in their first group match. Nisha, a firm believer, has deep faith in team India. She said the national team is focusing on speed work to ensure gaining peak at the right time. 

“With only weeks left before we leave for Tokyo, we are putting in all the hard work required and all of us in the team are pushing each other to perform better in every session. I am glad to be part of such a system where the entire Coaching staff is also pumped up to see that we peak at the right time. There is a lot of excitement within the team and all of us are looking forward to our first match against the World Champions Netherlands,” she added.

The post Tailor’s daughter to a national player, know how far Nisha has come first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Kaur, a defender, is all focused to play at her best in the training. After gaining an ample amount of experience in the sport, it was January last year when she was called up for the senior team.

Trained in Shahabad Hockey Academy the 22-year old Manpreet grew up idolising skipper Rani, experienced forwards Navjot Kaur and Navneet Kaur. 

At a media release, she was being quoted as saying, “To be a part of the national team at a dreamy event like Olympics is like a fairytale for me. I have a mixture of feelings. I want to put my foot on the ground and keep working hard.”

“Team selection is not in my hands. But I am enjoying the current phase. The training is bringing out the best in me and I would like to keep improving my performance without bothering about team selection,” she added.

She also expressed how thrilled she is to be around experienced players on and off the field. In her words, one has to adapt to changes swiftly, pointing to the transition from junior to senior camp. She endeavours to learn as much as she can from the seniors.

The post Budding star with an eye on Tokyo Olympics first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Below are the highlights of the match:

Quarter 1 – The first PC was awarded to team India and great efforts were made by the players but no goal scored. Seeking out for a goal opportunity and got the PC again. The opposing team seemed in pressure to score a goal and kept on saving all the great shots by team India at the goal. No goal was scored by any of the team and the first quarter ended with INDIA 0-0 MALAYSIA.

Quarter 2 – The next quarter started with other goal-scoring opportunities, but none of the team was able to score a goal. Like in the yesterday’s match the first half ended at India 0-0 MALAYSIA score.

Quarter 3 – The third quarter started and both the teams were striving to score at least a single goal and finally Navjot did it by scoring a goal in the 35th minute. Team Malaysia tried their best but unable to score a goal and third quarter ended at INDIA 1-0 MALAYSIA score.

Quarter 4 – In the final quarter team India was awarded the PC to get another lead but in spite of great shots, the team was unable to score a goal. Both teams tried well, but in the last quarter, the score remained the same INDIA 1-0 MALAYSIA. 

So, that’s all about the highlights of the match and end of Bilateral series. Well done Team India!

The post Women’s Hockey Team India Won the Bilateral Series in Malaysia with 4-0 Score first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

Some senior players like striker Rani Rampal, Namita Toppo and Gurjit Kaurare missing in the team due to some injuries, but they believe that it will be a great opportunity for younger team members to strenthen their skills for the upcoming world cup. Some team members that were missing in the Spain tour are making a comeback this time for Malaysia tour.

Savita said that the team will focus on the areas that had room for improvement in the Spain tour. Few talented youngsters are in the team that have international exposure and know their responsibilities well at this level.

All the best to Team India.

Keep watching this space for the further updates on the match which is going to kick off this Thursday.

The post Indian Women Hockey Team is All Set for a Five–Match Series Against Malaysia first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.

The post Indian Women Hockey team suffer another defeat in England first appeared on The History Book of Indian Hockey.