The Indian women’s hockey team left for Japan on Tuesday to participate in the Asian Games, aiming to win the gold medal and directly qualify for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, after securing a historic fifth-place finish in the World Cup.
Led by captain Salima Tete and under the guidance of coach Sjoerd Marijne, India achieved its best World Cup performance since 1974 by finishing fifth.
Now all eyes are on the Asian Games, where the gold medal winners will secure a direct berth for the Olympics.
Salima said, “We are heading into the Asian Games with increased confidence, but we also know that every tournament brings new challenges. The Nations Cup and the World Cup have given us confidence.”
She further added, “Our goal is very clear: to win the gold medal and directly qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics. We know that it will require consistency, discipline and giving our best in every match. As a team, we are ready for this challenge.”
India has been placed in Pool B along with Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, and Uzbekistan. The team will begin its campaign against Uzbekistan on September 20. After that, it will play against Indonesia on September 21, Thailand on September 23, Japan on September 25 and Singapore on September 27. The knockout stage will be held on September 30, and the gold medal match will be held on October 2.
The Indian team includes experienced players like Savita, Navneet Kaur, Neha, Nikki Pradhan, Lalremsiami, and Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, along with severalz young players who have made a significant impact with their recent performances.
