Bhubaneswar: Ace hockey player, Deep Grace Ekka from Odisha has been named in the 16-member women contingent of Indian hockey team scheduled to play at Tokyo Olympics, which begins next month.
With final preparations underway for the much-awaited Tokyo Olympic Games 2020, Hockey India has today announced the final list of players selected to represent the Indian Women’s Hockey Team at the summer showdown in Tokyo.
Eight experienced veterans have been named in the squad, while eight new players have been handed the chance to make their Olympic debut for Team India.
The final squad includes eight stalwarts in Rani, Savita, Deep Grace Ekka, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Monika, Nikki Pradhan, Navjot Kaur and Vandana Katariya; who have had the experience of representing India at the historic appearance of the Indian women’s team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games after a gap of 36 years. These eight players have amassed a mammoth total of 1,492 caps between them for Team India and will be tasked with leading the charge for Team India in their quest for Olympic glory.
The eight Olympic debutants include drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur, Udita, Nisha, Neha, Navneet Kaur, Sharmila Devi, Lalremsiami – who is the first player hailing from Mizoram in the team and Salima Tete – who led the Indian team at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games at Buenos Aires to a silver medal performance, also joins the team destined for Tokyo.
This will be the Indian Women’s Hockey team’s third appearance at the Olympic Games and their second consecutive outing, with previous appearances coming in 1980 and 2016.
The Women’s Team, which made history in Rio in 2016 after making an Olympic appearance after a 36-year-long wait, will now be looking to make its mark in the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.
The team continues its preparations at the ongoing camp at SAI Centre Bengaluru.
