New Delhi [India], September 9 (ANI): The Indian Men’s Hockey Team departed for Japan on Tuesday night to defend their continental crown on the Asian Games 2026, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4.
The hockey competitors will likely be performed in Kakamigahara, positioned roughly 35 km from Nagoya. Led by captain Harmanpreet Singh, the Indian facet will likely be decided to place behind them their disappointing eighth-place end on the FIH Hockey World Cup 2026, held final month within the Netherlands and Belgium, and shift focus in the direction of the essential continental project, based on a launch.
With the Asian Games gold medal providing direct qualification to the LA 2028 Olympic Games, India will intention to efficiently defend the title they gained on the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023.
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The Indian group confirmed glimpses of its high quality on the World Cup however struggled to keep up consistency at key moments, in the end paying the value in carefully contested encounters. The group will now look to attract from that have and ship a extra composed and constant efficiency in Japan.
India have established themselves because the dominant pressure in Asian hockey over the previous decade, with the group comfortably securing the gold medal on the Hangzhou Asian Games and Asia Cup. The defending champions will likely be eager to keep up that supremacy and safe one other Olympic berth by retaining their gold medal.
“We don’t want to think too far ahead and will focus on one game at a time,” mentioned India captain Harmanpreet. “There are no easy games because you want to play well consistently throughout the competition and not let up. The aim is to keep improving with every match and hit peak form when it matters the most during the knockout phase.”
Chief Coach Craig Fulton would additionally need the gamers to stay targeted on execution of plans fairly than fascinated with the eventual final result.Â
Four-time champions India have been drawn in Pool A alongside hosts Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. The defending champions will open their marketing campaign towards Indonesia on September 20 and conclude their pool engagements towards Bangladesh on September 28.
The knockout part will see the semifinals performed on October 1, whereas the ultimate is scheduled for October 3. With qualification for the LA 2028 Olympic Games at stake, the Indian group will intention to keep up its stronghold and return house with a second consecutive Asian Games gold medal. (ANI)