India’s drag-flicker Deepika attributed the success of the national women’s hockey team to the specialized training camps. These camps helped players enhance their skills and elevate their performance levels. Deepika expressed gratitude to Hockey India for providing opportunities for growth and improvement.
Key players who participated in the specialized camps organized by Anandana played crucial roles in India’s impressive performance at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup. India secured a spot in the semifinals by topping Pool A with victories over the United States, Japan, and Uruguay. This success brings India closer to qualifying for the FIH Pro League.
Deepika, hailing from Hisar, Haryana, emerged as a standout performer in the competition. Known for her drag-flicking prowess, she scored crucial goals from penalty corners in matches against the United States and Uruguay. With four goals to her name, she currently shares the lead in scoring for the tournament.
The goalkeepers, Savita from Sirsa, Haryana, and Bichu Devi Kharibam from Thoubal, Manipur, showcased exceptional performances, providing stability and confidence to the defense throughout the tournament. Defender Lalthantluangi from Mizoram and forward Annu from Jind, Haryana, also played vital roles in maintaining India’s unbeaten record in the pool stage.
The training regimen included an 11-day specialized goalkeeping camp at the Sports Authority of India center in Bengaluru. Led by renowned goalkeeper coach David Williamson and supervised by chief coach Sjoerd Marijne, the camp focused on enhancing technical skills, game awareness, and decision-making.
Additionally, players benefitted from a specialized drag-flicking and penalty-corner camp conducted by former international expert Taeke Taekema during the team’s tour of Australia and New Zealand. These sessions emphasized penalty-corner execution and overall team readiness.
Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey commended the players’ outstanding performances and stressed the importance of quality training. Tirkey lauded the exceptional goalkeeping skills of Savita and Bichu, as well as Deepika’s remarkable penalty corner strikes against the USA. The achievements of the players at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup were met with pride and appreciation.
