Dutch hockey expert for women

NEWDELHI: With an eye on Tokyo Olympics, Hockey India has appointed Dutch hockey expert Sjoerd Marijne as coach of the national women’s hockey team. Marijne will oversee the team till the 2020 Games. HI has also appointed Eric Wonink, also from Netherlands, as analytical coach. The duo will soon join the national camp which is in progress at Bhopal. Marijne’s coaching record has been good. The former Dutch international was head coach of the Dutch under-21 women’s side that won the World Cup title in 2015. The same year, he guided the senior women’s team to gold medal in the World League Semifinals.

HIMALAYAN DRIVE

NEW DELHI: National champions Asgar Ali and Muhammad Mustafa hung on to their lead for the third successive day to remain firm favourites to take the Biswa Bangla JK Tyre Himalayan Drive championship here on Tuesday. Ali and his navigator Mustafa once again tackled the hilly terrain with aplomb to stay ahead of all their challengers.

PLAYERS FELICITATED

Union minister Kiren Rijiju felicitated five Olympians from Manipur and two others from Tripura and Mizoram as part of the government’s outreach to sportspersons from North-East. Indian women’s hockey captain P Sushila Chanu, L Bombayla Devi (archery), K Chinglensan Singh and K Kothajit Singh (men’s hockey) and Saikhom Mirabai Chanu (weightlifting) were awarded Rs 2 lakh each. Two others — Dipa Karmakar from Tripura and women’s hockey team member H Lal Ruatfeli from Mizoram — were also felicitated.