Mumbai, November 8: – Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games semi-finalists India have been placed in Pool B along with New Zealand, the United States, and Italy at the FIH Women’s Olympic Qualifier Tournament to be played in Ranchi, India from January 13 to 19.
The Indian women’s hockey team will face New Zealand, Germany, Chile, Japan, Italy, the Czech Republic, and the United States to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The Asian Games were held in September–October in Hangzhou, where the Indian women’s hockey team won the bronze medal. Having won the gold medal in the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2023 held in Ranchi recently, the Indian women’s hockey team moved to sixth position in the FIH World Rankings and managed to make the grade for the Olympic Qualifiers.
Announcing the eight-team FIH Women’s Olympic Qualifier tournament, FIH revealed that Pool A comprises world No. 5 Germany, 2018 Asian Games gold medalists Japan, Chile, and the Czech Republic. So New Zealand, the United States of America, Italy, and India have been placed in Pool B.
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The first event of the women’s qualifiers will be held in Valencia, Spain, and the second in Ranchi. Both these qualifiers will be held from 13 to 19 January only.
For the event in Valencia, Spain, World No. 4 Belgium, Ireland, Ukraine, and South Korea have been placed in Pool A, while Great Britain, Canada, Malaysia, and Spain have been placed in Pool B.
Only those teams that finish in the top three from each tournament will qualify for the Paris Olympics. The qualifiers will consist of five direct continental events and host France will field a 12-team field for the Olympic Games.
Two men’s qualifier matches will also be played between January 13-21, 2024 in Valencia and Oman.
For the matches being organized in Valencia, Ireland, Belgium, Ukraine, and Japan have been placed in Pool A, while South Korea, Spain, Austria, and Egypt have been placed in Pool B.
The matches held in Oman, Malaysia, China, Pakistan, and Great Britain have been placed in Pool A, while New Zealand, Chile, Germany, and Canada have been placed in Pool B.
