The quest for Paris Olympics is on for Indian women’s hockey team

As the Olympic year kicks in, conversations about quotas, rankings, and qualification events across various disciplines will intensify.

Setting sights on securing a spot in the upcoming Summer Games in Paris from July 26 to August 11, the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will be the first major event of 2024.

One of the two women’s hockey qualification tournaments will be held at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi from January 13-19.

The event features eight teams in two groups — Group A comprises Germany, Japan, Chile, and the Czech Republic, while Group B features India, New Zealand, the USA, and Italy.

INDIA SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Savita Punia (Captain), Bichu Devi Kharibam.

Defenders: Nikki Pradhan (Vice-captain), Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Monika.

Midfielders: Nisha, Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Salima Tete, Sonika, Jyoti, Beauty Dungdung, Baljeet Kaur.

Forwards: Lalremsiami, Sangita Kumari, Deepika.

The top two sides from each group will progress to the semifinals. While the teams that reach the summit clash will automatically book a spot for the main event in Paris, the losing semifinalists will take on each other in a playoff to clinch the third and final spot.

Interestingly, this tournament was scheduled to take place in Changzhou, China, before the federations of both nations agreed to move it to India after The Snow Lotuses secured Asian Games gold and, with it, the ticket to Paris.

China, coached by Australian legend Alyson Annan, had beaten India 4-0 in the semifinals of the continental event in front of the home crowd in Hangzhou in October last year.

India’s form

Since that loss, the Savita Punia-led Indian team has shown good form. It dominated the Asian Champions Trophy, held at the same venue where the Olympic qualifiers will take place, and won the title three weeks after securing bronze at the Asian Games.

While it could only manage one win — 2-1 against Ireland — in the Five Nations Tournament in Valencia in December, the performances against higher-ranked teams like Belgium (lost 2-1) and Germany (lost 3-1) meant coach Janneke Schopman could have some positive takeaways.

Great impact: Schopman joined the Indian team as the analytical coach in January 2020 and watched it achieve a historic fourth-place finish under compatriot Sjoerd Marijne’s guidance at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She took over as head coach after Marijne’s departure and led India to its first medal at the Commonwealth Games in 16 years. | Photo Credit: BISWARANJAN ROUT

“In the Asian Games, we actually didn’t perform the way we could, especially in the semifinal. That was disappointing for the girls, for me, and for our staff, because we know we can be better. The main focus from that moment has been on how we can play to our strengths and potential and, basically, show up on the field with what we are able to bring. The Asian Champions Trophy showed that in a lot of ways,” Schopman said.

“Unfortunately, we had some injuries in Spain. So, we had to improvise in terms of our lineups, which was a good thing, as we’ve seen some great developments in terms of people being able to play in different positions. We also got closer to the better teams in the world,” the Dutchwoman added.

Expectations and pressure

After its Olympic debut in 1980, the Indian women’s hockey team qualified for the Summer Games for the first time in 2016. However, that campaign in Rio de Janeiro ended with the team finishing last in the group stage.

Schopman joined the Indian team as the analytical coach in January 2020 and watched it achieve a historic fourth-place finish under compatriot Sjoerd Marijne’s guidance at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. She took over as head coach after Marijne’s departure and led India to its first medal at the Commonwealth Games in 16 years. The team also finished third in the 2021–22 Pro League and won the inaugural FIH Nations Cup.

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Schopman is well aware of the shift in how others look at the current Indian team. “We were the underdogs and a surprise four years ago. Unfortunately, we don’t have that luck this time. All the other teams know who we are and that we can play some really good hockey. This presents a different challenge for us as a team and for me as a coach,” she said.

Playing in front of home fans in Ranchi should act as a massive boost, but it also brings added pressure with it, something that Savita admits. This is where the side’s mental fortitude will be tested.

“We are working on certain aspects, but of course, there will be pressure. How we can manage that pressure is something we have been working on because it is an event of huge significance,” said Savita, who recently won a third consecutive FIH Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year Award. Peter Harberl, appointed as the mental conditioning coach in October, will have an important role to play on the sidelines in Ranchi.

Squad and opponents

In the absence of Rani Rampal and Gurjit Kaur, a lot will depend on the experience of Savita, who’ll lead young stars like Sangita Kumari and Salima Tete.

The team has suffered a minor setback as experienced forward Vandana Katariya, initially named vice-captain, has been ruled out of the tournament due to injury.

Schopman knows the different challenges her team will face in the group stage. “New Zealand is a hard-working team. They’ll never give up. The USA is the same. Italy is a bit like Argentina, a team that won’t go away. They’re a little bit annoying,” she said.

“Our penalty corners and defensive structure will be important. With our attacking skills, we should be able to create good opportunities. Of course, we have to convert them also.”

Four years ago, Marijne’s India beat Schopman’s USA 6-5 in a thrilling two-match series to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.

As fate would have it, India’s Olympic dreams are once again directly linked to the Dutchwoman.