TNI Bureau: Hockey India has revealed the final list of players shortlisted to represent the Indian Women’s and Men’s Hockey Teams in the much-anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games 2020. The 16-member team achieves the ideal combination of continuity from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro and a fresh approach for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Three Odisha players have made the squad, which is a source of tremendous pride for the state. Birendra Lakra and Amit Rohidas of Odisha have been chosen for the Indian Men’s Hockey Team for the Tokyo Olympics, while Deep Grace Ekka of Odisha has been selected for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team.
Indian Women’s Hockey Team
Deep Grace Ekka was part of the squad that had the honour of representing India in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, which was the first time the Indian women’s team has competed in an Olympic Games in 36 years.
The Indian Women’s Hockey team will be competing in the Olympic Games for the third time, and for the second time in a row, after prior participation in 1980 and 2016. The Indian Women’s Hockey team has been steadily improving over the last few years, securing Olympic qualification for the second time in a row thanks to solid results in qualifying events.
Indian Men’s Hockey Team
On Friday, Hockey India (HI) revealed the 16-member national men’s hockey team for the Tokyo Olympics, which included veteran player Birendra Lakra and rising defence Amit Rohidas from Odisha.
After losing out on the last Olympics slot in 2016 due to a serious knee injury, Lakra now has a chance to be a member of the Tokyo 2020 team.
The Indian Men’s Hockey Team has a long and illustrious Olympic history. The team has won a total of 11 Olympic medals, including eight gold, one silver, and two bronze. However, it has been 41 years since India’s men’s hockey team has won an Olympic medal, and the current Indian Men’s Hockey Team is keen to alter that in Tokyo.
Over the previous several years, the current team has won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2016 and 2018, as well as the 2017 Asia Cup Gold and the 2019 World Series.
