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India women's hockey team coach Janneke Schopman is confident that her side will qualify for the Paris Olympics when they play in the qualifiers next month.
India missed the opportunity to grab an Olympic quota in the Asian Games. Although the Women in Blue won the bronze medal at the quadrennial event, only the gold medalist (China) was awarded a quota from the continent.
Nevertheless, Savita Punia and team will have another shot at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers, which is set to be played in Ranchi from January 13 to 19.
Speaking about India's chances of qualification to Paris next year, Janneke Schopman was quoted as saying in a Hockey India release:
“We have some high-calibre teams coming to Ranchi to battle for qualification to the Paris 2024 Olympics, but we have a great group of players and an outstanding support staff.
"So, we are certain that we can finish on the podium and qualify for the Olympics. The aim will be to play each match on our terms, take more responsibility for our actions in-game, be solid at the back, and capitalize on the chances we create."
Janneke Schopman reflects on Indian team's 5 Nations tournament
India played in the 5 Nations Tournament in Valencia, Spain as a preparatory event for the Olympic qualifiers. The team signed off with a 2-1 win against Ireland on Thursday, thanks to goals from Deepika and Sangita Kumari.
But the worrying results for the team would be losing to heavyweights Belgium (2-1) and Germany (3-1), whom they will meet in a Pool clash in the qualification event.
India also lost their opening game to hosts Spain 3-2 despite having a cushion of 2-1 in the first half. Emphasizing the importance of the 5 Nations Tournament, Schopman said:
"The 5 Nations Tournament Valencia 2023 was important in this regard, as it helped us fine-tune our game and maintain match sharpness before entering a critical juncture in our journey to the Paris 2024 Olympics."
India are put in Pool A along with Germany, USA, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Czech Republic and Chile. The team will play its first match against the USA on January 13. The top three teams from each of the two pools will qualify for the Paris Olympics.
