CHANDIGARH: Hockey has been included as a competitive sport for both and women in the World Student Games to be held at Sheffield in England in July this year.
It is for the first time that hockey has been included in the World Student Games which started way back in 1923 and are being organized every two years. The first Games were held in Paris in which only a few countries sent their athletes. The Games have grown in stature since then More than 6000 competitors from 130 nations are expected in the Sheffield games where competitions will be held in 11 different sports.
In the hockey event the Organisers hope that 16 teams each will complete in men’s and women’s sections respectively. The Organisers have already received entries from 14 men and 13 women’s teams.
The competition will be held at Concord Leisure Centre which will have three new artificial hockey pitches. The hockey competition has been fixed from July 15 to 24 Though the Organisers expect that top hockey players of the world will be taking part in the four World Student Games were held at Edmonton (1983) Kobe Japan (1985) Zagreb (1987) and Duisburg (1989).
The Sheffield Student Games will be the second biggest sports event in the world.
The Sheffield Games will be an ideal event for India to prepare its junior teams for the ensuing Junior World Cup Qualifying tournaments.
The Indian Hockey Federation in consultation with the Association of Indian Universities will do well in preparing a team that can start participation in international tournaments from Lucknow later this month before being ready to take part in the World Cup Qualifying tournament at next year. The I.H.F. has already announced names of probable for junior and senior camps. Though there are not many from Universities in either of the lists the I.H.F. A..U. combine would do well to pick outstanding youngsters from the junior probles list and give them international exposure by allowing them to play in the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup at Lucknow as the second home country’s entry. The time at the disposal of the IHF and the AIU is very short. For the time being the I.H.F Could manage the things on its own.
But the most important thing is for the Association of Indian Universities to confirm the entry of its men and women’s teams. The Sheffield tournament is an ideal platform for India in its attempt to rebuild its team for future international engagements. Indian teams both men and women did not qualify for the last Junior World Cup Hockey Tournaments. It may be sheer coincidence that qualifying tournaments in both the sections were organized by India.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 25, 1991
