Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): A stellar offensive and defensive effort from Scotland in the final against Egypt saw them come away with a 4-2 win to claim the inaugural FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 title and the promotion to the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2026. 7/8 Place: Oman 1 – 2 Chile: The 7/8 place classification game started with an early goal from Chile as a shot from Kay Gesswein took an unfortunate deflection off Al Shaaibi and went past the wrong footed keeper. The game was played in an end-to-end fashion with Chile holding more possession, but Oman created some good chances, including two penalty corners, and went close from both of them, but could not find the target. Chile almost doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime but Felipe Richard’s shot hit the post and went wide with Chile taking a 1-0 lead into the break. Oman continued to improve as the game went on and their work in the third quarter was rewarded as a string of penalty corners finally helped them open the scoring as captain, and centurion on the day, Khalid Al Shaaibi injected the ball on the set piece got to the near post and deflected the shot in, to mark his milestone with a goal. It was Chile however who got the winner as an attempted clearance by the Oman defence fell to Alvaro Garcia, who did well to bring the ball under his control and smash a shot past the keeper to earn Chile a win in their final match at the event.5/6 Place: China 1 – 3 Austria: The first half was a tale of Chinese dominance and two penalty corners. The first one was scored by China in the opening quarter through Gao Jiesheng. The goal was the only conversion by China from their 7 penalty corners in the opening half. Austria’s equaliser also came from a penalty corner in a dramatic fashion. They won the set piece with 2 seconds left on the clock and while their initial attempt was stopped on the line, China stopped playing while the ball was still inside the circle, and a sharp steal by Austria led to Moritz Frey steering the ball into an empty goal while the Chinese defence stood shell shocked. Austria used the momentum from their late equaliser in the first half to make a much better start to the second. Their early pressure paid off with Moritz Frey receiving a long aerial in the Chinese circle and getting a powerful reverse shot on target beyond the keeper to give the Red Capricorns the lead. As China threw more and more player into attack in search of the equaliser, Austria scored a third from a counter attack with Josef Winkler and Nikolas Wellan playing one-twos around the keeper, leaving Wellan with an empty goal to tap the ball into. Moritz Frey was awarded player of the match for his two goals that helped Austria get the win and get the 5th place in the competition. Bronze: USA 2 – 2 Poland (Shoot-out: USA 1-3 Poland): Two evenly matched sides in USA and Poland produced fantastic hockey in the opening quarter, but a grave error from Mendoza on the edge of the USA circle, as he tried to play a no-look pass to his teammate led to the opening goal for Poland. The attempted pass went straight to the waiting stick of Koperski, who took one step and buried a powerful shot from the top of the circle into the corner of the goal. That goal remained the only one to be scored in the opening half.USA started slow in the second half with the Polish side in the ascendancy. The second goal of the game also went Poland’s way after Koperski’s flick was stopped on the goal-line by the post defender’s foot and led to a penalty stroke, which was dispatched with ease by Gracjan Jarzyński who doubled the European side’s lead in the bronze medal match. USA were back level by the end of the third quarter with Aki Kaeppelar scoring from a penalty stroke and Mehtab Grewal putting the finishing touches to a great move from the left flank by Pat Harris and Charasika. With no goals coming in the final quarter despite USA’s dominance, the match headed into the shoot-outs to determine the outcome. Polish keeper Mateusz Popiołkowski was the star of the show in the shoot-outs as he stopped USA on three of their four attempts, while Poland strikers converted all three of their attempts as Poland came away winners, to become the bronze medalists at the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 Oman 2025.Final: Egypt 2 – 4 Scotland: Egypt made the brighter start and kept prodding the Scottish defence, but the European side stood firm and opened the scoring from an incredibly difficult opportunity as Struan Walker received the ball on the left side of the Egyptian circle, but the narrow angle and distance from the goal did not phase him as his reverse shot found the far corner of the goal to perfection, giving Scotland the lead. The second quarter was more even in nature but once again it was Scotland who got the goals from penalty corners. The first came through a Jamie Golden drag flick that went over the keeper's head before he could react, and the second through a Struan Walker hit from a 30th minute penalty corner that found the bottom left corner of the goal to perfection. With a 3-goal deficit to overcome in the second half, Egypt started pushing hard early in an attempt to claw back the deficit, but Scotland’s defence continued to stand firm and stopped Egypt from scoring on four penalty corners in the first five minutes. Their work was rewarded on the other end as a counter attack from a saved penalty corner turned into the fourth Scottish goal, coming from the stick of Austin Thomas this time. Egypt finally got on the board midway through the final quarter with Mohamed Ragab scoring from their 11th penalty corner of the game! Egypt added a second through an Ahmed Elganaini penalty stroke, but the deficit overall was too much to overcome as Scotland came away with 4-2 win and the inaugural FIH Hockey Men’s Nations Cup 2 title. Final Standings: Scotland, Egypt, Poland, USA, Austria, China, Chile, Oman

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): Australia’s inexperienced young team rallied from a defeat at the hands of Spain a day earlier to claim an unexpected 4-2 victory over Olympic champions the Netherlands in a FIH Hockey Pro League clash in Sydney on Thursday.(Men’s) Australia 4 – 2 Netherlands: The young Australians started the first quarter far better than their opening match on Wednesday and created a couple of early circle penetrations. The Dutch still exploited some big gaps in the Kookaburras’ structure and had repeated success with long probing passes and runs through the centre, goalkeeper Jed Snowden doing sterling work on four occasions to deny them through the first quarter.Australia tightened their structure in the second period, which relieved a lot of the self-inflicted pressure. The Netherlands still created good opportunities, but the Australians got stronger as the half progressed and Jake Harvie fired them ahead with a 27th-minute penalty stroke for a 1-0 lead at half time.That lead was doubled in the 34th minute when Davis Atkin bagged his first international goal with a bunted shot over the goalkeeper after receiving a long overhead from Corey Weyer. The Dutch grew increasingly frustrated as the hosts bossed the third quarter, and found themselves three down when Copper Burns scored his first international goal in the 43rd minute. Koen Bijen pulled one back with a deflection from a recycled penalty corner and it was 3-1 heading into the final period.Tjep Hoedemakers snatched a rebound goal for the Dutch in the 47th minute, but Ky Willott immediately restored the Kookaburras’ two-goal cushion with a tap-in at the right post. The contest played out at a frenetic pace as the Dutch pushed hard for a result, but there were no further goals.(Women’s) Australia 2 – 2 China (SO: 2 – 1): Hosts Australia played out a 2-2 draw with China before going on to clinch the shootout 2-1.In a rematch of the Olympic quarterfinal, which China won, it was the Australians who dominated the first quarter, creating circle entries and half chances, without much success, however. The Hockeyroos were eventually rewarded when Claire Colwill fired them ahead with a penalty stroke in the dying seconds of the quarter.Australia struck again in the 16th minute, when Courtney Schonell got a good deflection from open play. China gradually established some control through the second quarter and made it count from their third penalty corner, Jinzhuang Tan beating the defence in the 28th minute.There were some sweeping attacks and dangerous moments in both circles as the space seemed to open up in a goalless third quarter, and the match was in the balance with Australia holding a slender 2-1 lead heading into the final period.The Hockeyroos got on the front foot quickly, but poor execution of 46th and 48th-minute penalty corners kept China in touch. The Chinese then made a brave decision to substitute their goalkeeper with 11 minutes left on the clock. They carried tremendous attacking momentum through the next seven minutes and were rewarded when Tan equalised with her second from a 56th-minute penalty corner. China immediately got Li Xinhuan back in the cage where she saved a penalty corner a minute later.Lucy Sharman had a sharp chance to snatch victory for the Hockeyroos with seconds left on the clock, but her shot slipped wide. With the points shared, Australia went on to clinch the shootout 2-1 for a bonus point.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): As Croatia prepares to host its first-ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup in Poreč from 3-9 February, the anticipation and excitement are palpable. This historic moment signifies a turning point for Croatian hockey, providing a platform to showcase the nation’s passion for the sport while inspiring the next generation of players.From Tradition to Opportunity: A New Era for Croatian HockeyDamir Hrupec, President of the Croatian Hockey Federation, reflects on the significance of this milestone: “The history of hockey in Croatia began way back in 1896, with the first field hockey demonstrations. This is a tradition that has been ongoing for 129 years. Hosting an FIH World Cup is a huge opportunity for hockey to grow in new regions and significantly increase the number of players. Our goal is to turn a small country like Croatia into a big hockey nation. We are ready to make this event a spectacular showcase of hockey and ensure we exceed all expectations.”Women’s Team: Dreams Becoming RealityFor the Croatian women’s team, this marks their debut on the global stage. Team captain Martina Petretić shares the pride and anticipation of this monumental event: “Playing at the World Cup is a dream come true for every athlete. It’s even more special that this event is hosted in our nation, and we’re ready to represent Croatia in the best light possible. The experience of playing at this level will be something we cherish forever.”Balancing both indoor and outdoor hockey, Martina believes the versatility gained from playing both formats supplements the team’s overall skills: “Indoor hockey enhances defensive techniques and dribbling in tight spaces, skills that are directly transferable to the outdoor game. The quick, precise decisions required in indoor hockey help us stay sharp in both formats.”Men’s Team: Rising to the ChallengeFor the Croatian men’s team, the pride of wearing their nation’s jersey is amplified by the opportunity to compete at home. Team captain Mario Mucić expresses his excitement: “Representing Croatia at the Indoor Hockey World Cup is a remarkable moment. We’ll give our best to represent our country and make our supporters proud.”Mario, talking about his love for the indoor hockey format, added: “Indoor hockey, with its faster pace and tighter spaces, enhances ball control, quick decision-making, and reaction times. It’s a dynamic game that improves goal-scoring and finishing abilities.”The team’s goal for the tournament is ambitious yet focused: “Our objective is to progress beyond the group stage. We’ll take it one match at a time, giving our all to make the most of each game.”

Islamabad (Sports Desk): The Vantage Black Sticks Women recently completed a two-test series against the United States of America (USA), showcasing a blend of experience and fresh talent on the field.The first match took place on Sunday, January 19th at Lloyd Elsmore Park. In what was a closely contested game, New Zealand emerged as winners with a 1-0 win, thanks to a late goal in the fourth quarter by Holly Pearson.Hannah Gravenall captained the side, leading a team that featured four debutants: Britt Wang, Julia Gluyas (goalkeeper), Mezzy Surridge, and Millie Calder. The match marked an exciting start to the year, as the young team with new talent look to build the next era of Vantage Black Sticks for the women’s side.Match Two took place the following day on Monday, January 20th. This time, Casey Crowley stepped up as captain for her first time, guiding the team alongside debutant Jaimee Eades. The match took a slow start with a tidy deflection just before half time by Paige Blake to secure a 1-0 lead.It was the second half that saw all the action take place with the USA responding with two goals before the Vantage Black Sticks struck back with a drag flick and second deflection by Paige Blake and a goal by Anna Willocks in the final two minutes. The final score in match 2 was 3-2 to the Vantage Black Sticks, sealing the series win over the USA.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The Malaysian men’s national indoor hockey team is set to make history as they prepare to participate in their first-ever FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup, scheduled to take place shortly in Poreč, Croatia from 3-9 February. This groundbreaking achievement marks a significant milestone for Malaysia as they step onto the global indoor hockey stage.Excitement and Pride: Team captain Mohammad Najmi Farizal Jazlan expressed the team’s excitement and pride in representing Malaysia at this prestigious event. “It is the very first time Malaysia qualified for the Indoor Hockey World Cup. We are very excited to play in the World Cup. It is a new experience for us to play with the top teams in Indoor.”Boosting Hockey Development in Malaysia: The qualification is not just a milestone but a catalyst for the growth of indoor hockey in Malaysia. Najmi hopes this achievement will spur development and foster more age-group competitions, alongside the already established Malaysia Indoor Hockey League. He envisions Malaysia hosting a future Indoor Hockey World Cup.Bridging Indoor and Outdoor Hockey: All members of the Malaysian team play both indoor and outdoor hockey, which Najmi believes enhances their focus, accuracy, and quick thinking in both formats. He highlights the speed, space, and unique technical skills as the aspects he loves most about indoor hockey.Learning from International Experience: The team brings valuable lessons from international experiences, such as the FIH Hockey5s World Cup in Oman, where they won the silver medal in the inaugural edition. They recognise that there are major differences between the two formats, but the honour of representing the nation on a global stage and the aim of winning silverware still remain intact. Najmi and his team view participation in the Indoor Hockey World Cup as a significant honor and a chance to learn and compete against the world’s best. They also hope to play a future edition of the event on home turf.Aiming High: Despite being newcomers, Malaysia is entering the tournament with determination and ambition. “Our objective in this Indoor World Cup is to gain experience playing with the top teams and players. Even though it is our first time at the event, we are going to compete and give our very best to achieve the highest best result.”A Call to Fans: Najmi concludes with a heartfelt message to Malaysian fans: “I hope Malaysians will support our team through ups and downs. We will give our best in our first time in the Indoor Hockey World Cup. With this momentous debut, the Malaysian team is ready to showcase their talent and passion on the international stage, hoping to inspire a new era for indoor hockey in their country.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced on Tuesday that the inaugural edition of the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 for men would be staged in Muscat, Oman from February 17 to 23, 2025.This new event will give the opportunity for 8 more nations – ie, the national teams ranked after those involved in the FIH Hockey Pro League and the FIH Hockey Nations Cup - to play an intercontinental FIH tournament, and compete for the chance to be promoted into the 2026 FIH Nations Cup. The creation of this new event follows one of the key focus areas of the FIH Empowerment and Engagement strategy - namely “More opportunities to compete” - that aims at facilitating the accessibility of National Associations to FIH tournaments.Austria, Chile, China, Egypt, Oman, Poland, Scotland, and United States of America (USA) will participate in the Nations Cup 2025. "Hosting the inaugural FIH Nations Cup 2 in Oman is both an honor and a testament to our commitment to advancing hockey in the region. We are thrilled to welcome teams and fans from around the world to experience Oman’s passion for this sport. This tournament marks a significant milestone for Hockey Oman, and we look forward to an exciting display of talent and sportsmanship on our home ground", said Hockey Oman Chairman Dr. Marwan Juma Al Juma.Commenting on the announcement, FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Oman is the nation of the “firsts”! Hosting very successfully the inaugural FIH Hockey5s World Cup and now the very first FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2! The global hockey community could witness the wonderful hospitality of our Omani hosts during our FIH Congress, and all the participating teams can expect the same. It will be an amazing event in a magnificent hockey venue. Thank you, Oman!”

Lausanne (Switzerland): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced that the 30 top hockey athletes have been shortlisted to win the FIH Best Player, FIH Best Goalkeeper and FIH Rising Star Awards of the Year.FIH Player of the Year Award - Nominees:Women: Gu Bingfeng (CHN), Yibbi Jansen (NED), Nike Lorenz (GER), Stéphanie Vanden Borre (BEL), Xan de Waard (NED)Men: Thierry Brinkman (NED), Joep de Mol (NED), Hannes Müller (GER), Harmanpreet Singh (IND), Zach Wallace (ENG)FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award - Nominees:Women: Cristina Cosentino (ARG), Aisling D’Hooghe (BEL), Nathalie Kubalski (GER), Anne Veenendaal (NED), Ye Jiao (CHN) Men: Pirmin Blaak (NED), Luis Calzado (ESP), Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER), Tomás Santiago (ARG), PR Sreejesh (IND)FIH Rising Star of the Year Award – Nominees:Women: Claire Colwill (AUS), Zoe Díaz (ARG), Tan Jinzhuang (CHN), Emily White (BEL), Linnea Weidemann (GER)Men: Bautista Capurro (ARG), Bruno Font (ESP), Sufyan Khan (PAK), Michel Struthoff (GER), Arno Van Dessel (BEL)The list of nominees was established by an Expert Panel, composed of players, coaches and officials selected by each of their Continental Federations. The expert panel was provided access to match data from all international matches held in 2024, including Test Matches, the FIH hockey Pro League, FIH Hockey Nations Cups, FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers and the Olympic Games Paris 2024 before establishing the final list of nominees. The voting process is now open! National Associations - represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches -, fans, players, coaches, officials and media can register their vote until 11 October.The votes of the Expert Panel count for 40% of the overall result. Those from National Associations count for a further 20%. The fans and other players (20%) as well as the media (20%) will make the remaining 40%.Fans and players can cast their vote here.Expert Panel:Europe: Janne Müller-Wieland (GER) and Simon Mason (ENG)Asia: Tahir Zaman (PAK) and Ms Deepika (IND)Pan America: Soledad Iparraguirre (ARG) and Craig Parnham (USA)Africa: Sarah Bennett (ZIM) and Ahmed Youssef (EGY)Oceania: Amber Church (NZL) and Adam Webster (AUS)List of Awards:FIH Player of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Rising Star of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Coach of the Year (Women and Men)FIH Umpire of the Year (Women and Men) (Press Release) 

Traditional oppositions defending champions India and Pakistan set to meet on September 14Abdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Asian Champions Trophy Men’s Hockey Tournament will get underway on September 8, 2024 in China, as Pakistan will face Malaysia in their opening contest of prestigious regional field hockey fixture. Green Shirts will take on traditional foes India on September 14, as the Indian lads will defend their title. All matches will be played at the Moqi Hockey Training Base in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, China.Besides hosts China, Pakistan, India, Korea, Malaysia, and Japan will fight for top honour during the 10-day international fixture. Pakistan will play their first match against Malaysia on September 8 at 12:45 pm according to Pakistan Standard Time (PST). Pakistan will meet arch-rivals India on September 14 at 12:45 PST.Pakistan (Squad): Abdul Rehman, Ahmad Ajaz, Ali Ghazanfar, Butt Ammad, Hammadudin Muhammad, Hayat Zikriya, Khan Abdullah Ishtiaq, Khan Sufyan, Liaqat Arshad, Mahmood Abu, Nadeem Ahmad, Qadir Faisal, Rana Waheed Ashraf, Razzaq Salman, Rooman, Shahid Hannan, Shakeel Moin, Ur-Rehman MuneebMalaysia (Squad): Abd Razak Syawal, Abdu Rauf Muhajir, Albert Adrian, Anuar Akhimullah, Azahar Amirul, Azrai Abu Kamal, Harizan Faris, Hassan Najib, Hassan Shafiq, Jali Faiz, Jalil Marhan, Kamaruddin Azimuddin, Mat Deris Zaimi, Mat Syarman, Rozemi Aiman, Saari Faizal, Saari Fitri, Silverius Shello, Sumantri NorsyafiqIndia (Squad): Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera, Jarmanpreet Singh, Amit Rohidas, Harmanpreet Singh (C), Jugraj Singh, Sanjay, Sumit, Raj Kumar Pal, Nilakanta Sharma, Vivek Sagar Prasad (VC), Manpreet Singh, Mohammed Raheel Mouseen, Abhishek, Sukhjeet Singh, Araijeet Singh Hundal, Uttam Singh, Gurjot SinghChina (Squad) : Ao Weibao, Ao Yang, Chao Jieming, Chen Benhai, Chen Chongcong, Chen Qijun, Deng Jingwen, E Kaimin, E Wenhui, Gao Jiesheng, He Yonghua, Huang Ziyang, Lin Changliang, Lu Yuanlin, Meng Dihao, Meng Nan, Wang Caiyu, Wang Weihao, Zhang Taozhu, Zhu XiaotongKorea (Squad): Bae Jongsuk, Bae Soung Min, Cheon Min Su, Hyun Jigwang, Jung Hyunho, Kim Hyeonhong, Kim Jaehan, Kim Junghoo, Kim Minkwon, Kim Sunghyun, Kong Yoonho, Lee Gangsan, Lee Hyeseung, Lee Jungjun, Oh Daewon, Oh Seyong, Park Cheoleon, Park Geonwoo, Sim Jaewon, Yang JihunJapan (Squad): Chiba Yuki, Fujishima Raiki, Kashiwagi Ren, Kawabe Kosei, Kawahara Yamato, Kawamura Yusuke, Kimura Naru, Kitagawa Takumi, Matsumoto Kazumasa, Matsuzaki Yuito, Nagai Yuma, Nagayoshi Ken, Oba Yosei, Tanaka Seren, Tanaka Tsubasa, Watanabe Keita, Yamada Shota, Yamashita Manabu Schedule (Asian Champions Trophy 2024):September 8, Sunday (South Korea vs Japan) 11:00 AMSeptember 8, Sunday (Malaysia vs Pakistan) 1:15 PMSeptember 8, Sunday (India vs China) 3:30 PMSeptember 9, Monday (South Korea vs Pakistan) 11:00 AMSeptember 9, Monday (India vs Japan) 1:15 PMSeptember 9, Monday (China vs Malaysia) 3:30 PMSeptember 11, Wednesday (Pakistan vs Japan) 11:00 AMSeptember 11, Wednesday (Malaysia vs India) 1:15 PMSeptember 11, Wednesday (China vs South Korea) 3:30 PMSeptember 12, Thursday (Japan vs Malaysia) 11:00 AMSeptember 12, Thursday (South Korea vs India) 1:15 PMSeptember 12, Thursday (Pakistan vs China) 3:30 PMSeptember 14, Saturday (Malaysia vs South Korea) 11:00 AMSeptember 14, Saturday (India vs Pakistan) 1:15 PMSeptember 14, Saturday (Japan vs China) 3:30 PMSeptember 16, Monday (5th-6th place play-off)10:30 AMSeptember 16, Monday (Semifinal 1) 1:10 PMSeptember 16, Monday (Semi-final 2) 3:30 PMSeptember 17, Tuesday (Third-place play-off) 1:00 PMSeptember 17, Tuesday (Final) 3:30 PM. 

Lausanne (Switzerland): Hockey at Paris 2024 came to a conclusion on 9 August, with a historic double gold for Netherlands, as the men's and women’s teams of a nation won the hockey gold in the same edition of an Olympics for the very first time! Germany men and China women added a silver medal to their trophy cabinets, while India men and Argentina women made it back-to-back medal finishes, claiming the bronze medals in Paris.The competition for medals was wide open, and there were plenty of surprises and upsets as the jostling for medal finishes shook up the world rankings. Join us as we take a look at the updated rankings, following the conclusion of the Olympic Games Paris 2024.In the men’s world rankings, Olympic champions Netherlands (3168) stand at the top of the rankings. Netherlands came into the games in the top spot, but dropped to third in the pool stage following a draw against Great Britain and a loss to Germany, but four consecutive wins to finish with the title, sees them climb back into the first place.Germany (3035) once again showed their big tournament prowess, as they came into the event ranked fifth in the world, but registered big wins over the likes of Netherlands, Great Britain, Argentina and India to climb into second place in the world rankings, on the way to the silver medal.England* (2973), Belgium (2959) and India (2849) complete the top-5 places. Belgium in particular will be disappointed with their quarter final exit, coming in as defending champions. The Red Lions had a near perfect pool stage with 4 wins and a draw that had catapulted them to the top of the world rankings, but a loss to Spain in the quarterfinal saw them drop down to fourth. Germany’s ascent also sees England drop down one spot from their pre-Olympics ranking of second place, to third, while India have climbed one spot up bridging the gap to the top-4, following a second consecutive bronze medal finish at the Olympics.Australia (2714), Argentina (2643) and Spain (2470) find themselves in the sixth, seventh and eighth positions respectively. Australia began the Olympics ranked fourth in the world, and climbed into the top-3 after the first win over Argentina, but a disappointing campaign where they endured losses to Belgium, India and got knocked out by Netherlands in the quarterfinals, sees them drop down to sixth, less than 100 points clear of Argentina in seventh. Spain fell just short of the bronze medal and while their ranking remains unchanged, the gap to seventh place is less than half of what it was before Paris 2024.Ireland (2078), France (2016), South Africa (1982) and New Zealand (1958) take up the ninth to twelfth spots in the world rankings with all four teams competing at the Olympics, but failing to make the quarterfinals. Ireland’s victory over New Zealand in their final pool stage game, lifted them two spots into ninth place at the expense of France who ended their pool stage of the games with just one point following a draw against Spain. South Africa moved up one place thanks to their draw against Great Britain and win over France, while New Zealand’s failure to collect any points at the Olympics sees them drop two spots down from tenth.In the women’s world rankings, Netherlands (3641) remain infallible, adding a fourth Olympic gold medal from the last five editions of the Games! While China gave them a big scare in the gold medal match, Netherlands prevailed in the end, completing a perfect campaign with 8 wins in 8 matches.Argentina (3059) continue to remain in a distant second place, following their bronze medal performance at Paris 2024. Belgium (2852) climbed one place to third in the world after narrowly missing out on their first ever Olympic medal, with back-to-back shoot-out losses to China in the semi-final, and Argentina in the bronze medal match, but it was still an impressive campaign from the Red Panthers in just their second ever Olympic appearance!Germany (2739) exited in the quarterfinals at Paris 2024, a result which saw them drop down one spot, into fourth. Australia (2720) continue to remain in fifth place and similar to Germany, would be disappointed in their quarterfinal exit, following a stellar pool phase where they finished top of their pool with 4 wins and a draw.China’s (2567) incredible run in Paris 2024, which saw them come within a whisker of claiming the gold medal, has resulted in a two-place climb in the world rankings table as they now sit in the sixth spot, ahead of England* (2419) and Spain (2322) in seventh and eighth respectively.India (2087) and New Zealand (2024), who missed out on Olympic qualification, round out the top-10 world rankings.Among the teams that competed at the Olympics outside of top-10, are Japan (2010) in eleventh place, narrowly trailing New Zealand. United States (1898) were extremely competitive throughout the pool stage of the Olympics and registered points through a draw against Spain and a win over South Africa, and find themselves in thirteenth place in the world rankings.South Africa (1403) and France (1371) both ended Paris 2024 without scoring any points and are placed twentieth and twenty second in the world respectively. Both teams have plenty of positives to take away from the Olympics though, with this being the first appearance for France at an Olympics, while South Africa, given their very young squad, were competitive, not losing by more than one goal in any of their matches except one, which came in the form of a 4-2 loss to Argentina, where South Africa were leading 2-1 until the final ten minutes. (PR)

Club appoints Nawaz Rana as a captain of team for World Cup AucklandAbdul Jabbar FaisalISLAMABAD: Pakistan born, International Player, Nawaz Rana has been nominated as captain of Alliance International Hockey team men45+ to represent in upcoming Masters Hockey World Cup, which will be held from November 7 to 16, 2024 at National Hockey Centre Auckland, New Zealand.According to available information from abroad, besides hosts New Zealand, Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, England, Germany, Malaysia, Holland, Oman, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United States of America (USA), England, and Wales will be participating in the 10-day international hockey showpiece.International hockey player Nawaz Rana said: “I have been selected successively thrice for the international hockey world Cup fixture, as a player with Alliance International Hockey Team. Previously I earned the silver medal in the Master Hockey World Cup 2022 in South Africa. This time, we built a strong team and the best players are part of our squad. We are expecting, our players will produce sparking and notable performance in the Masters Hockey World Cup 2024 and will lift the title.”Names of selected players (45+): Kosoof David William, Wilson Nigel John, Roberts Mark Ian, Aminder Pal Singh, Chetan Rangilads, Gurpreet Singh Khndola, David Gailey, Daniel John Hollyman, Dalpit Singh Gill, Navtej Singh, Kamal Deep Singh Brewal, Raman Deep Singh Bara, Amar Preet Singh, Manjinder Pal Singh, Jagdish Singh, Pamandeep Singh Rai, Shanavas Naduvath ValappilTeam Officials: Sohail Akram Janjua (Manager), Shahbaz Ahmed Junior (Coach), Nawaz Rana (Assistant Coach) DR. Amer Farooq (Physio).