New Zealand pulled off the biggest surprise of the ongoing World League Semifinals with a 2-0 win over World Cup silver medalists Australia in the women's preliminary league in Antwerp.
Germany will meet China while The Netherlands play world champions Argentina in the semi-finals of the Olympic women's hockey tournament.
Indian Olympic Association president PT Usha feels the axing of medal-yielding sports such as wrestling, hockey and badminton from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games programme is "disappointing" for the country but the approach to reduce cost would ensure that the event continues to find hosts in future.
For women's hockey in the country, this result may well turn out to be a watershed moment.
Ace drag-flicker Gonzalo Peillat struck a second-half hat-trick as Germany made a sensational comeback after being two goals down to beat Australia 4-3 and enter the men's hockey World Cup final for the fifth time, in Bhubaneswar, on Friday.
Reigning champions and World No. 2 Belgium, who won the title in the 2018 in Odisha, will take on South Korea in Bhubneswar.
'A dream moment', said the country's sports fraternity in unison as it celebrated the resurgence of Indian hockey at the Tokyo Olympics after the women's team advanced to its first ever semi-final, in Tokyo, on Monday.
Young striker Nikkin Thimmaiah scored a hat-trick as India produced their best performance of the tournament to stun world champions and title holders Australia 4-2 on Saturday and secure a place in the third and fourth place play-off at the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament in Ipoh, Malaysia.
Following is India's schedule on Sunday, Day 9 of the Paris Olympics: (All timings in IST)
India settled for silver after losing to Australia 3-1 (0-0) in penalty shootout in the final of Champions Trophy hockey tournament in London on Saturday. After their spectacular effort to hold World No.1 Australia at 0-0 in regular time, India missed three penalties in the shootout to go down fighting in a morale-boosting clash. SK Uthappa, vice-captain SV Sunil and Surendar Kumar missed the strokes for India.
The Indian men's hockey team's hopes of reaching the final went up in smoke after Australia handed it a 4-1 drubbing in their last league match of the Lanco International Super Series 9s in Perth on Saturday.
Rupinder Pal Singh's brace went in vain as Indian men's hockey team lost 2-3 to hosts Australia in a tense opening game of the four-nation Invitational Tournament in Melbourne on Wednesday. The Indians began positively against top-ranked Australia, showing positive intent and energy in the first quarter. However, the first 15 minutes ended in a stalemate. Indian youngster Affan Yousuf's attacking approach almost paid dividends early on had it not been for a solid defense from the Kookaburras.
A bronze medal finish is not what hockey coach Craig Fulton had wanted, but the South African will relish the achievement simply for the fact that "underdog India" lifted themselves up from disappointments when no one gave them a chance.
The Netherlands won their fourth Olympics women's hockey title, beating Argentina 3-1 in the final at the Tokyo Games on Friday.
India paid the price for defensive blunders as Australia handed them a 1-2 defeat in a friendly hockey match in Perth on Thursday, ending a thoroughly disappointing trip Down Under for the team.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
India will open their campaign against Canada in the FIH Junior Women's Hockey World Cup
Belgium and Australia are two world-class teams we saw in the final (in Tokyo). I think they are the benchmark and that's what we need to be aiming for, says India's chief coach Graham Reid.
Captain Harmanpreet Singh wants the young Indian hockey players to get familiar with the playing styles of the best teams in the world during the FIH Pro League, and hoped the country would seal a direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a title-winning run in Bhubaneswar.
The Aussie beat Spain 1-0 with a golden goal while top-ranked the Netherlands beat Argentina in the semi-finals.
The Indian team has been in impressive form during its tours of Australia and Europe in the past few months.
Legendary hockey player Ric Charlesworth has been inducted into the inaugural Hall of Fame of Hockey Australia.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 7, Friday, August 2, 2024:
The FIH Hockey Pro League matches between India and Great Britain, scheduled for May 8-9 in London, were on Wednesday postponed following the UK government's decision to add India to the travel 'red list'.
A young Indian side put up a spirited fight before going down 3-4 to six-time champions Australia in the opening encounter of the Sultan Azlan Shah Hockey tournament in Ipoh on Saturday.
Veteran India goalkeeper P R Sreejesh had no qualms in admitting that the tense 3-2 victory over New Zealand in the Paris Olympics omen's hockey opener was a wake-up call ahead of tougher pool matches, even as coach Craig Fulton was pleased that the team stuck to its plan in Saturday's match.
India turned in a superb show as they rallied from two goals down to beat England 5-4 in the penalty shoot-out and book a berth in final of the men's hockey tournament at the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday. The teams were locked 3-3 at the end of 70 minutes' full-time and 15 minutes' extra-time.
The Indian women's hockey team lost 0-3 to third ranked Australia, completing a hat-trick of defeats in the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023-24 in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday.
India hockey chief coach Graham Reid has his sights set on the Asian Games, FIH Pro League, Commonwealth Games, Hockey World Cup in 2023 and Paris Olympics the following year.
Manu Bhaker and partner Sarabjot Singh will compete in the 10m air pistol mixed team bronze medal play-off match on Tuesday.
The Indian men's hockey team, which ended a 41-year medal drought by clinching a bronze medal in Tokyo, rose to 3rd in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Rankings, behind Belgium and Australia, respectively.
India's goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, who will end his illustrious 18-year career after the Paris Olympics, had conceded only five goals in four games at the men's hockey event, which gives him a save rate above 90 percent for the tournament.
India's schedule on Day 7 of the Paris Olympics on Friday.
The Birmingham Commonwealth Games is scheduled from July 28 to August 8, while the Asian Games will be held from September 10 to 25 this year.
India would look to put up a disciplined effort and avoid unnecessary cards, which cost them dearly against England.
China will take on champions Germany and Argentina will play the top-ranked Dutch in the Olympic women's hockey semi-finals on Wednesday. Three-times champions Australia came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with China on Monday but it was not enough to get them into the semi-finals. The draw meant both teams finished with 10 points, but China, who finished fourth in Athens in 2004, went through to the last four as the second team behind the Netherlands.
Australia and France made the quarter-finals of the Hero FIH Junior Men's World Cup after registering contrasting victories in their respective Pool B matches today at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday.
England pulled out of the FIH Men's Junior World Cup, to be held in Bhubaneswar next month, on Monday, citing a number of COVID-related concerns and taking "note" of the Indian government's mandatory 10-day quarantine protocol for all UK nationals.
'The flight did not land in Gujarat because the 'Gujarat model' would then get exposed.'
The Indian men's hockey wound up its league stage engagements at the Olympics with a 4-2 victory over Japan and consolidated second place in Group A, behind Australia, on Friday.
