At Rourkela’s Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium, the 13th Hockey India Junior Men’s National Championship 2023 came to a thrilling conclusion between the top two teams in the competition, Hockey Chandigarh and Hockey Madhya Pradesh. After four intense games of hockey, Madhya Pradesh defeated Chandigarh 4-2, in front of a large audience cheering for both competitors. The atmosphere at the world’s largest hockey arena resembled a sporting spectacle as Haryana overcame Odisha to earn third place.
The closing ceremony was attended by Prof. Amiya Kumar Rath, Vice Chancellor Biju Patnaik University of Technology Rourkela, Niti Shekhar IPS DIGP Western Range Rourkela, Dr. Subhankar Mohapatra IAS Additional District Magistrate & Commissioner of Rourkela Municipal Corporation, Prasanta Kumar Tarai Administrator of Birsa Munda Stadium and Deputy Director Sports Odisha, Sanatan Sahu General Secretary Odisha and Joint Secretary of Sports & Youth Services Department & CEO of Hockey Promotion Council of Odisha Sailendra Kumar Jena who congratulated the teams on their spectacular performance.
“Congratulations to the winners, and congratulations to all the other participants who have put up a fine display of hockey,” said Subhankar Mohapatra IAS Additional District Magistrate & Commissioner of Rourkela Municipal Corporation, in his speech recognizing Madhya Pradesh as champions and Chandigarh and Haryana as the silver and bronze medallists.
Adding thoughts on the spectacular finale the administrator shares, “Having an original turf at Rourkela has brought states together on a united front, particularly in grassroots sports, which is a great accomplishment. I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to all the teams who endured a lot of competition and rigorous training to get to this point. We look forward to welcoming you back to our grounds soon.”
Securing third place in today’s semi’s, Bharat Singh Head Coach of Hockey Haryana shares, “Despite playing well day before yesterday, my squad came up short. I forbade my players from engaging in self-criticism and instead urged them to concentrate on preparing their minds for their next match against Odisha. I had a lot of confidence in my captain because he is also an international competitor. And even if we didn’t win the bronze medal, I was confident he could still score a goal.”
Also speaking about playing at the World Cup Stadium coach of Haryana team shares, “Additionally, the venue where we played is excellent. Aside than just supporting a good team, Rourkela locals support hockey. I was astonished by how my team was able to compete in the same stadium as Odisha, and I’m grateful that we got the chance to test our limits and win with the enthusiastic backing of the Odisha fans who came to watch.”
Agreeing with his mentor Rohit, Captain of the Haryana Team shares, “Sharing my experience there is a fantastic source of encouragement on this turf, which we rarely see anyplace else. We are grateful for the opportunity to exhibit our game and receive such enthusiastic support from the spectators here, and it was simply incredible to win in such an environment.”
Being crowned the champions of yesterday’s finals Captain of the Madhya Pradesh Team Ankit Pal shares, “It’s been great fun at Rourkela Ground. Since the majority of our players are new, they are undoubtedly experiencing the ground for the first time, and we had a terrific time. If the government actually pushes for such historic fields, it will undoubtedly aid all participants in rising and competing for a better future”
Adding a closure to his player’s thoughts, Coach Mangal Vaid shares “Although there wasn’t much pressure, we were confident that we would use any means necessary to defeat Chandigarh. I constantly pushed my team members to switch things up, which helped us gain the upper hand and be technically superior to our competitors. Additionally, the rain has been incredibly fortunate for us and helped us score our better goals in the second half.”
The tournament, featuring 29 states has been a remarkable experience for Junior athletes. The privilege of the world class infrastructure and turf is vital exposure for them. Not only have they inhabited the facilities and dressing room used by the world’s finest hockey players, but they have experienced the atmosphere of a buzzing crowd.
Comments
0 comment