12 teams for state women’s hockey
LUCKNOW: Sincere efforts to give a push to the women’s hockey for the last two years has borne fruits as this time there would be 12 teams, challenging each other in the Senior State women’s hockey tournament, starting Friday, at the Padamshree Mohd Shahid astroturf stadium here.
There were only eight teams last year when the Shanti Foundation conducted the prestigious event with the support of the Uttar Pradesh Hockey, which doesn’t have their own event in the calendar. “It’s being conducted with the help of the UP Hockey and we are getting all support from the sporting body,” organizing committee’s chairpersons Lalita Pradeep told HT on Tuesday.
A sum of Rs 1 lakh to the winners, and Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 would be on offer for the first three place holders. Besides this,
THERE WERE ONLY EIGHT TEAMS LAST YEAR WHEN THE SHANTI FOUNDATION CONDUCTED THE PRESTIGIOUS EVENT WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE UTTAR PRADESH HOCKEY, WHICH DOESN’T HAVE THEIR OWN EVENT IN THE CALENDAR
there would be many more things for the winning teams. “We have a huge support of many organizations and individuals, who have promised many things for the players as a token to encourage women’s hockey in the state,” said Pradeep.
The 12 teams including defending champions North Central Railway, Hockey Meerut, Hockey Ghaziabad, Lucknow Sports Hostel, Hockey Jhansi, Hockey Varanasi, Gorakhpur Sports College, Shastra Seema Bal, runners-up North Eastern Railway, SAI Lucknow, Hockey Moradabad and hosts Shanti Foundation have been divided in four different groups and top teams from each group will play in the semi-finals, slated for November 20 in the morning, whereas final would be played in the evening at 3.30 p.m.
This is for the second time when the Shanti Foundation is conducting the state tournament, and it has decided to hold a five-a-side hockey too from the next year. “Yes, we have decided to conduct a five-a-side hockey too from the next year,” said Pradeep, who also happens to be one of the vice-presidents in the UP Hockey.
UP EVES OFF TO A FINE START
Uttar Pradesh even were off to a flying start at the 2nd Hockey India 5-a-side Senior National Championship in Pune on Tuesday as they scored an enthralling 6-5 win against Hockey Maharashtra.
It was Uttar Pradesh Hockey who took a 2-0 lead inside the first 7 minutes to dominate, however, Hockey Maharashtra struck back as the first period ended with Uttar Pradesh Hockey leading 3-2.
In the second period, it was Hockey Maharashtra who scored the equalizer in the 20th minute leaving the crowd enthralled. However, Uttar Pradesh Hockey scored three quick goals in the third quarter to win the match 6-5.
Shreya Singh (4 goals), Vandana Katariya (1) and Preeti Dubey (1) scored for UP, whereas Aishwarya Chavan (1), Kavita Vidyarthi (1), Renuka Yadav (1), Sanggai Ibemhal (1) and Lalruatfeli H (1) scored for Hockey Maharashtra.