India will open their campaign against Canada in the 2023 Junior Women’s Hockey World Cup, scheduled to be held in Chilean capital Santiago from November 29 to December 10.
India have been pooled alongside Germany, Belgium and Canada in Pool C.
India won the women’s junior Asia Cup in Japan earlier this month, and will will the World Cup high on confidence, hoping to win the elusive trophy for the first time.
“We are aware that each Pool is filled with talented and formidable opponents, but we see this as an opportunity to showcase our skills, determination, and teamwork on the global stage. We are confident in our abilities and will give our all in every match,” India skipper Preeti said.
Women’s chief coach Janneke Schopman, said, “The team is blooming with confidence after winning the Asia Cup. But the World Cup will be much more challenging as we’ll face strong teams from around the world. Every match in the tournament will test our skills, teamwork, and resilience.
“The Pool draw reinforces the need for us to raise our game and push our limits to achieve success.
“However, we believe in the potential of our team and its ability to rise to the occasion. Our goal is to create a cohesive unit that performs with a never-give-up attitude, and stays true to our game plan while adapting to the challenges posed by each opponent. We will leave no stone unturned in our preparations to ensure we are well-prepared for the tournament,” she added.
The Junior women’s team’s head coach Harvinder Singh said that the team has to improve on certain areas.
“Yes, the team is very excited but despite the historic victory in Japan, the team is aware that there are a few areas where we need to improve, and we have identified those areas and are currently working on them as we prepare for the prestigious Junior Women’s World Cup in Chile.”
The pools were established on the basis of the very first FIH Junior World Rankings as follows:
Pool A: Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, Chile
Pool B: Argentina, Korea, Spain, Zimbabwe
Pool C: Germany, India, Belgium, Canada
Pool D: England, United States, New Zealand, Japan
FIH President Tayyab Ikram said the global body has made youth as its focus going ahead.
“Through its ‘athletes first’ approach, mentioned in the new Empowerment and Engagement strategy that was recently launched, FIH has made youth a strong focus going forward. The FIH Junior World Cups play a crucial role in this regard,” Ikram said.
“Furthermore, as one of my priorities as FIH President is to highlight the powerful contributions hockey can make outside of the sport itself for individuals, community and society – with the important topic of sustainability being an integral part of this ambition – I look forward to seeing the ways this will be realized in this event,” he added.
Chilean Hockey Federation President Andrés de Witt indicated that “it is a great opportunity to continue developing our sport internationally. We appreciate the trust of the international hockey authorities. We invite all countries to trust our organization.”
Comments
0 comment