India start campaign against Germany

HOW THEY QUALIFIED

MUMBAI: India’s preparations for Rio Olympic Games received a big boost on Monday with the international hockey federation inviting the men’s team for this year’s Champions Trophy from June 10-17.

The Indian men, who finished fourth when the event was held in Bhubaneswar in 2014, were included in the six-team line-up for the prestigious event which was shifted from Argentina to Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and will now be held just before the women’s Champions Trophy to be held at the same venue from June 18-26, the FIH announced in a press release on Monday.

Besides India, the men’s competition involves World No 1 Australia, defending Olympic Champions Germany, Belgium, hosts Great Britain and qualifier Korea. The Champions Trophy is returning to a six-team event from eight teams introduced after 2010 and will be played on round-robin format with the top two teams fighting it out for the season’s biggest honour before the Olympics in August.

Roelant Oltman’s India will face Olympic Champions Germany in the tournament lung-opener on June 10 with Germany: Reigning Olympic champion

Australia: World Cup winner, World League winner

Great Britain: Host

Korea: Winner of 2014 Champions Challenge

Belgium: 2nd-placed team in 2015 World League

India: Invited by FIH Executive Board hosts Great Britain meeting reigning World Champions Australia and Korea taking on Belgium in other matches.

India meet hosts Great Britain the next day and Belgium on June 13, Korea on June 14 before rounding off their league engagements against World Champions Australia on June 16. The classification matches and final will be played on June 17.

The Champions Trophy will be the last international competition in men’s section before the Olympics and will be a final chance for the teams to work out their combinations as except Korea all other teams have qualified for Rio Olympics.