Legendary Dutch dragflicker Taeke Taekema has joined the senior Indian women's hockey team for a specialised training camp focused on dragflicking and penalty-corner execution during the ongoing tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Chief coach Sjoerd Marijne indicated that the Indian women's hockey team will likely use the upcoming World Cup as preparation for the more crucial Asian Games, which serves as a direct qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The team plans to field a consistent core group for both events, scheduled just 20 days apart. Dutch dragflick specialist Taeke Taekema will join the team for both tournaments, and skipper Salima Tete praised Deepika's strong return from injury, highlighting her importance as a dragflicker.
The Indian women's hockey team will tour Australia for a four-match series from May 21 to June 3 as part of its preparations for next month's Nation's Cup in New Zealand, which is a pathway to the elite FIH Pro League.
Veteran drag-flicker Taeke Taekema scored the first hat-trict of the tournament as the Netherlands blanked bottom-ranked Argentina 3-0 in their Pool A hockey World Cup match in New Delhi on Monday.
He is one of the most lethal drag-flickers the world has ever seen, but for Taeke Taekema Pakistan's Sohail Abbas is the 'king of penalty corners' just by the sheer magnitude of his conversion rate.
Netherlands scored a 4-3 win over England to keep their hopes alive of a semi-final berth.
The Netherlands beat Germany 2-1 in the final to win their eighth Champions Trophy title.
In other matches in the men's Olympic hockey qualifier, New Zealand beat Malaysia 1-0 while Poland surprised Great Britain 2-1.
Foreign players on Monday said that the newly-laid Poligras turf at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, which is hosting the 12th hockey World Cup, is a little bumpy and creates problems in trapping the ball.
Defending champions Australia routed Netherlands 7-2 to top the standings in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Indian hockey team made a disappointing start to their campaign in the final leg of their European tour, losing 3-5 to the Netherlands in the first Test of the two-match series in Amstelveen.
The Netherlands beat Olympic and defending champions Australia 6-2 in the final to win their maiden Azlan Shah hockey title.
Australia thrashed the already qualified Germany 5-0 to secure their place in the final.
India lost to Olympic Champions Netherlands in the second Test of the Naval Tata Memorial Trophy.
In other matches at the hockey World Cup, India went down to Germany 2-3, while New Zealand routed Argentina 3-0.
The goal-scorers at the men's hockey World Cup being played in Delhi.
The goal-scorers in the 12th men's hockey World cup in Delhi.
The goal-scorers in the 12th men's hockey World Cup, which is underway in Delhi.
Penalty-corner ace Taeke Taekema scored twice as The Netherlands beat New Zealand 5-2 in the opening match of the tournament.
The Netherlands squad for the 12th hockey World Cup in New Delhi.
The leading scorers in the 12th Men's Hockey World Cup at the conclusion of the semi-finals.
A resurgent Indian hockey team, with its penetrative attack and solid defence, can actually challenge for the top spot in the Champions Trophy.
He was blessed with celestial ability, a once-in-a-generation player destined to pull India out of its hockey inertia and lay down for it a new, exciting, path of greatness. Then he was shot and unsure if he would walk, let alone play hockey again. Dhruv Munjal hopes Soorma, the biopic on Sandeep Singh's life, will bring him back where he belongs -- in the spotlight.
