Asian Hockey Championship Begins Nov 11; Coach’s Regret!
Delhi News
The Women’s Asian Hockey Championship is set to begin on November 11, featuring top teams from across the continent, including the Indian squad, which recently triumphed in the Asian Champions Trophy. Coach Craig Fulton, despite celebrating the title victory, expressed some regrets about the challenges his young team faced throughout the tournament. As the competition approaches, all eyes will be on the teams as they aim for glory, while Fulton’s reflections highlight the importance of continuous improvement and resilience in the sport.
The Women’s Asian Hockey Championship starts on November 11!
The masters’ showdown will take place on the hockey field at the State Sports Academy and Sports Complex in Rajgir. Starting November 11, six top teams from Asia, including India, will showcase their talents on the newly laid turf. The Women’s Asian Hockey Championship is set to run from November 11 to 20, with preparations already underway. On Saturday, DM Shashank Shubhankar and SP Bharat Soni led an inspection of the ground. Additionally, ADM Manjeet Kumar held a meeting with officials to delegate various responsibilities.
Teams from India, China, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand will compete in the tournament, all recognized as some of the best in Asia. This is the first time such a significant hockey event is being hosted in Bihar. The DM reviewed the law and order, security, and traffic arrangements at the stadium and provided guidance to address any deficiencies. Meanwhile, the ADM conducted a review meeting with the officials of the organizing cell.
During the meeting, topics such as player accommodation, city beautification, lighting, health services, drop gates, barricading, spectator galleries, cleanliness, drinking water, watch towers, ID card creation, and parking were all addressed. Various officers were assigned specific responsibilities. The promotion of the tournament and arrangements for live telecasting were also discussed. Everyone was urged to complete their tasks promptly.
What’s coach Fulton’s regret after the hard-fought title win?
The Indian hockey team may have clinched the Asian Champions Trophy title without a single loss, but head coach Craig Fulton insists it was a challenging tournament for his young squad. Competing in their first tournament since securing a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics, the Indian team emerged victorious in every match, defeating China 1-0 in the final. This marked the team’s fifth ACT title, having won the championship the previous time as well.
Fulton said after the final, “It was tough for us. But it was good to win in the end. We have to work really hard. We played good hockey in seven matches. We couldn’t score many goals today, but the result was in our favor.” He mentioned that the last two months had been filled with challenges for him and the team. He added, “There were a lot of ups and downs. Paris Olympics and then preparation for this tournament after spending just eight days with the family. We came here with a young team and some new players. The players were tired but still won, which is a sign of a good team.”
The Indian hockey team encountered fierce competition from host China in the Asian Champions Trophy final. For the first three-quarters of the match, China effectively prevented the Indian strikers from finding the net. Although Team India generated numerous scoring opportunities, the Chinese defenders delivered an outstanding performance, thwarting all their efforts. However, in the 51st minute, Jugraj Raj Singh broke through and scored, giving Team India the lead.
Following this, the Indian players denied China any further opportunities for the remainder of the match. When the final hooter sounded, the Indian team celebrated their record fifth Champions Trophy title. Consequently, China secured second place and took home the silver medal.
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