Sports Bulletin

Sports Bulletin ReportSantiago (Chile): Japan staged a stunning comeback against Korea, overturning a 3-1 halftime deficit to win 5-4 in an action-packed match. Scotland secured their place in the FIH Hockey Nations Cup with a 2-0 victory over Canada, who now face a relegation battle. In the semi-finals, Ireland edged past the USA 2-1, while New Zealand triumphed over Chile in a tense shootout after a 1-1 draw. Japan 5-4 Korea: The first match of the day at the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup was action packed. For Korea it was almost a carbon copy of their first game of the tournament against New Zealand. Korea started off strong with two goals in the first quarter, a quick pull to the right and a low hard shot by Hyejin Cho opened the scoring, followed by a clever reverse sweep into the far corner by Sunghee Jung, put Korea up 2-1 in the first quarter. Korea continued to show dominance in the first half controlling the pace of the game, they entered the half with a 3-1 lead.It was as if The Cherry Blossoms woke up in the second half, their team truly coming alive and playing together as a unit. They were able to fight back from their two-goal deficit to win the game 5-4. The Japanese team was ecstatic with their ability to come back and win, as stated by the player of the match, Rui Takashima: “This was a tough game today, but we continue to play hard so we can get the win!”.Scotland 2-0 Canada: The second match of the day provided a scoreless first half, however the score line does not accurately portray the efforts of both teams. Canada was strong in defence, as they have been this entire tournament. The Wolfpack were able to hold off ten penalty corners in the first half, thanks to brilliant defensive efforts by Elise Wong and Sarah Goodman. The Canadians even had a chance to take the lead with a full team build up play from Thora Rae, down the line to Nora Goddard-Despot who swung it across the face of the goal to Natalie Sourisseau. Unfortunately, Mikayla Stelling missed the final touch which would have put Canada in the lead.The second half is where Scotland took over the match, scoring two goals in the third quarter. Both goals were perfectly placed low and hard shots which whizzed past the Canadian keeper. Scotland finished out the match with this 2-0 lead, saving their spot in the FIH Nations Cup.Ireland 2-1 USA: Ireland versus USA was a back-and-forth semi-final battle. The Americans brought the heat in the first half, forcing Ireland to concede their first goal of the tournament. Madeline Zimmer (USA) poached a pass off Ireland, and cruised into the circle, finishing the goal by smashing it into the far-left hand corner in just the 4th minute of play. Ireland managed to battle their way back to 1-1 at half by securing a penalty stroke scored by Roisin Upton.The momentum seemed to shift in the second half, with Ireland creating more and more opportunities. Kathryn Mullan (IRL) received a bobbling ball at the top of the circle and used the bounce of the ball to breeze past two defenders and slot the ball into the net.Chile 1-1 (1-3 SO) New Zealand: After an electric end-to-end battle, the second semi-final of the day ended at regulation time in a 1-1 draw, forcing Chile and New Zealand to face off in a shootout. The Black Sticks were able to come away with the win, after scoring three goals in the shootout, and Chile only scoring one. The Black Sticks were led in this shootout by experienced goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon. 

Islamabad (Sports Desk): New Zealand secured a 3-1 victory over Scotland, overturning an early deficit to clinch a semi-final spot. Ireland continued their dominant run with a 2-0 win against Korea, maintaining their perfect defensive record in the group stage. Chile topped Pool B after a 3-1 win over the USA, capitalizing on penalty corners, while Japan edged Canada 2-1 with a late goal.New Zealand 3-1 Scotland: To start the final day of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup, New Zealand finished out the final group match with a 3-1 win over Scotland. Scotland began the match with a bang scoring in just the 2nd minute. Scotland hung on to their lead for just over twenty minutes, however New Zealand proved to be more clinical in the circle.Korea 0-2 Ireland; Korea played as a strong defensive unit for much of the first half, not allowing many chances for The Green Army. However, with a charging run into the circle, a fake a shot, and a smooth finish through the keepers’ legs, Sarah Torrans scored Ireland’s first goal of the match in the 25th minute.The second half proved much of the same, Korea played well defensively but struggled to put many scoring attempts together. In the 51st minute Ireland sealed the deal with an open shot from Christina Hamill at the top of the circle and a reaching touch by Mikayla Power to deflect it into the top of the net.Chile 3-1 USA: It was a story of penalty corners in the third match of the day, with Chile scoring three penalty corners, allowing them to claim top of Pool B on home soil. The USA’s performance was a frustrating one, with a penalty corner goal disallowed in the first half which would have tied the game and potentially changed the momentum.The second half brought more pressure from the Americans, but they failed to convert their chances. Another penalty corner was denied, and a penalty stroke miss defined the USA’s second half. While Maria Maldonado managed to score Chile’s third goal of the night on the fourth consecutive penalty corner, providing a cherry on top of her 100th match with Las Diablas.Japan 2-1 Canada: The first half of this match proved to be a stalemate, with neither Japan nor Canada earning a spot on the scoresheet. Canada’s defensive strength was led by Anna Mollenhauer and Sarah Goodman who played huge roles in the first half shut out. The Cherry Blossoms did look to be the better team offensively, as they created multiple circle entries and earned several penalty corners near the end of the half.The Canadian Wolfpack had an unfortunate start to the second half with only nine players on the field due to a yellow and a green card. Japan took advantage of this opportunity by opening the scoring on a penalty corner. Canada quickly responded with their first goal of the tournament by Kathleen Leahy just minutes later. At the very start of the fourth quarter Rui Takashima blazed through the Canadian defence with a zigzagging run setting up an open goal tap in for Hiroka Murayama to win the match for Japan 2-1.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): China came from behind twice to clinch an incredible 3-2 win over Spain as FIH Hockey Pro League action continued in Sydney on Friday, their first over the Spanish in seven years. Earlier in the day, the Netherlands men bounced back from their surprise loss to Australia on Thursday with a 2-1 win over Spain to climb to the top of the table.(Women’s) Spain 2 – 3 China: Spain opened the scoring in the third minute when Patricia Alvarez dived at full pace for her deflection on the right post, but the Chinese slowly gained the ascendancy and Jinzhuang Tan levelled from a penalty corner in the sixth minute. There were no further opportunities in the half and the scores remained locked on 1-1 at the break.China really got on the front foot in the early stages of the third period and Spanish goalkeeper Clara Perez did sterling work to keep them at bay. She first made an excellent penalty corner save before scrambling to the baseline to shut out recycled ball, and later made a fully stretched foot save from open play. Spain were still aggressive, earning a couple of circle entries and penalty corners before reclaiming the lead with a 45th-minute PC variation from Candela Mejias.China again showed their willingness to pursue a result by pulling their goalkeeper off early, this time with 13 minutes remaining. Perez made three huge saves before she was finally beaten by two perfectly placed penalty corner slaps. The first was by Ou Zixia in the 57th minute and the second by Tan with just 70 seconds remaining as China wrapped up a remarkable win.(Men’s) Spain 1 – 2 Netherlands: The Netherlands raced into the lead in the second minute, Pepijn van der Heijden finding the back of the net with a well-executed drag flick. They went on to boss the quarter with numerous opportunities while Spain had a solitary attempt from a penalty corner.The Red Sticks worked their way into the game in the second quarter, making some good intercepts and fast counterattacks, but the Dutch remained 1-0 up at half time.The Dutch doubled their lead in the 34th minute from a poor Spanish clearance, intercepting on the 23-yard line and finding Koen Bijen in the circle for a first-time strike. Maurits Visser then denied Spain with an excellent save from open play, but a sublime deflection from Gerard Clapes in the 41st minute closed the gap. Rafael Revilla then made a couple of vital saves while a Spanish player served a five-minute suspension to keep his team in contention with 15 minutes to play.

Sports Bulletin ReportMuscat (Oman): Women's Hockey Junior Asia Cup 2024 will be played in Muscat, as the 10 teams from Asia region will fight for top honour. Top five will be eligible to participate in the upcoming FIH Junior Hockey Women’s World Cup 2025, to be played in Chile, with an expanded competition format that will feature 24 teams for the very first time. The fixture will be concluded on December 15, 2025 in Oman.The ten participating teams have been split into two pools, with Pool A comprising Bangladesh, China, India, Malaysia and Thailand. In Pool B it’ll be Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Sri Lanka and Chinese Taipei who will compete for the top-2 spots that will confirm not just a semi-final spot, but also, through it, secure a Junior World Cup spot.Each team in the pool stage will play the other four teams in their pool once. The top two teams in both pools will qualify for the semi-finals, while the teams in third and fourth positions will compete for the 5-8 place classification, with the team finishing the event in 5th place securing a Junior World Cup spot. The losing semi-finalists will play in the bronze medal match, with the two finalists competing for gold. All four semi-finalists will qualify for the FIH Junior Hockey World Cup 2025.The FIH Junior Hockey Women’s World Cup 2025 will be played in Santiago, Chile. Chile have qualified as the hosts of the competition. Argentina, Uruguay, United States and Canada have qualified from the Americas. Belgium, England, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Wales and Scotland have qualified from Europe. Following the five qualifiers from Junior Asia Cup, three more teams from Oceania and Africa (each) will qualify for the World Cup to complete the qualification process over the next few months. 

Islamabad (Sports Desk): Hosts China rallied from their first loss of the new FIH Hockey Pro League season a day earlier with a dominant victory over a young England side in Hangzhou on Wednesday.All the goals in their 4-0 victory were scored by different players in a match that saw the Chinese wrapping up an incredible year, in which they claimed Olympic silver, on a successful note (Women’s) China beat England (4-0): China ended their long year with a convincing 4-0 win over a young English side, pressing effectively and making excellent use of penalty corner deflections. It was another exciting start as England created a clear scoring opportunity in the opening minute, and China put penalty corners over the bar in the third and seventh.The hosts enjoyed more possession throughout, and Zhang Ying had the best chance of the first quarter when a long ball found her unmarked at the top of the circle, only for Miriam Pritchard to close down the angle well to deflect the ball wide of the English goal.China opened the scoring in the 17th minute, Chen Yang undoing Pritchard with a penalty corner deflection from the p-spot. England had a couple of chances to restore parity, threading a pass between the goalkeeper and a diving striker at the back post in the 20th minute, and having a penalty corner blocked by Chinese runners two minutes later. China then missed by inches from a recycled penalty corner in the 24th minute, but England immediately coughed up possession from the 16-yard hit and Ying completed the move with a tap-in to double their lead. He Jiangxin then gave China a 3-0 lead heading to half-time with another penalty corner deflection in the 28th minute. China were very much in control in the second half, holding possession well and pressuring the English into turnovers and errors. England found themselves defending desperately to save penalty corners in the 34th and 35th minutes, and then missed a 37th-minute penalty corner of their own that might have given them a platform to fight back in the match.The teams both missed with penalty corner variations at the end of the third quarter, and as the clock ticked down in the fourth, China continued to dominate. The Chinese had the final say with a 55th-minute field goal, Chen Yi intercepting a poor overhead clearance and working the ball to Zhang Wenli who popped it beautifully to Chen Yujun behind the English defence for a neat finish.

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has revealed that Wałcz, Poland, would host the inaugural edition of the women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2, from 16 to 22 June 2025. This exciting tournament marks the first-ever FIH event to be held in the Polish city, adding a new chapter to Poland’s growing presence in international hockey.The women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 serves as a pivotal platform for 8 emerging teams – ie, the national teams ranked after those involved in the FIH Hockey Pro League and the FIH Hockey Nations Cup – to compete at a high level, offering a pathway to promotion to the FIH Hockey Nations Cup, which is directly connected to the FIH Hockey Pro League. The 2025 edition will feature these eight nations competing in a week-long tournament, showcasing their skills and vying for the title in a highly anticipated competition including Poland, South Africa, Italy, France, Malaysia, Uruguay, Wales, and Czechia.Wałcz, known for its scenic landscapes and strong sporting culture, is ready to welcome the global hockey community with open arms. Hosting the tournament at this location will not only boost the profile of hockey in Poland but also provide a unique opportunity for local fans to experience world-class hockey action firsthand. The event promises to be a fantastic display of skill, determination, and sportsmanship as teams battle for a spot in the higher tiers of international competition.President of the Polish Hockey Association, Rafał Grotwski said: "We are extremely pleased with what confidence the world federation has placed in us. This is extremely important to us in our strategy for the development of women's hockey in our country. 2025 is the year in which we invest in the development of women's hockey and the opportunity to host teams in Poland from around the world will undoubtedly contribute to the spread of our sport", said Rafał Grotwski President of the Polish Hockey Association.” FIH President Tayyab Ikram said: “Wałcz, Poland, is about to make history by hosting its first-ever FIH event with the women’s FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2! This is a proud moment for FIH, as it continues to expand the horizons of hockey around the world, as well as for Poland, and I have no doubt that the global hockey community will be welcomed with the warmth and enthusiasm that Wałcz has to offer. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the passion for hockey in Poland, and I’m confident the event will be a remarkable success at this magnificent venue. Congratulations and thank you, Poland.”

Sports Bulletin ReportParis (France): The women’s hockey final at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be contested between reigning champions the Netherlands and China, with the Asian giants reaching their first Olympic final since Beijing 2008.The Netherlands women – the reigning Olympic, World, European and FIH Hockey Pro League champions – proved simply too strong for semi-final opponents Argentina, claiming a 3-0 triumph over their fierce rivals to reach the Olympic final for the sixth successive Games. Netherlands beat Argentina (3-0): In front of an enthusiastic sell-out crowd, the Netherlands were in irresistible form against Las Leonas, dominating their illustrious opponents with goals from Luna Fokke, Laura Nunnink and Yibbi Jansen.The result means that the possibility of the Netherlands winning both hockey gold medals remains very much on, with the men playing their final, against Germany, tomorrow (8 August). For Tokyo 2020 silver medallists Argentina, the result means that they will play for bronze on Friday (9 August). China overcame Belgium (1-1 and 3-1 on shoot-out): In a match filled with huge drama, China opened the scoring through Zou Meirong’s penalty corner, successfully defending their lead until the final two minutes when Emma Puvrez slapped home a fabulous leveller, sending the huge numbers of Belgian fans into raptures. Capitalising on the momentum, the Red Panthers lead early in the shoot-out when goalkeeper Aisling D’Hooghe denied Chen Yang before Vanessa Blockmans produced an outrageous lob that clipped the crossbar on the way to establishing a 2-1 advantage. However, China showed incredible character to score their next three attempts, with goalkeeper Ye Jiao denying Ambre Ballenghien, Justine Rasir and Delphine-Daphne Marien to break Belgian hearts.

Paris (France): With the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium bathed in sunshine, the women’s team of Belgium, Germany, Australia and Spain all secured victories in their first matches at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. In the men’s competition, Germany suffered defeat at the hands of Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands emerged triumphant, and South Africa and Great Britain played out a pulsating draw.Women’s Pool A: Belgium started their Olympic campaign with a hard fought 2-1 victory over China thanks to a superb, roofed finish from Charlotte Engelbert with five minutes remaining. “There were good things and bad things”, said Belgium’s Emma Puvrez on the occasion of her 200th international appearance. “China is a very good team to play against, they're very technical as well as physical so it was a difficult start for us.”Germany also began their quest for gold positively as goals from Charlotte Stapenhorst and Nike Lorenz secured a 2-0 win over Japan. "We created loads of chances but they defended really well”, said Stapenhorst. “I think we're just glad that we got this tournament started."Germany and Belgium moved level on points with Day 1 winners the Netherlands, with the Oranje’s superior goal difference keeping them top of the standings. Women’s Pool B: Australia and Spain kept pace with Day 1 winners Argentina by snatching narrow wins against South Africa and Great Britain respectively. The Hockeyroos fought back from a goal down to beat the African continental champions, with Stephanie Kershaw and Tatum Stewart on target to give the three-time Olympic gold medallists a 2-1 win. "It was very tough”, said Australia’s Kaitlyn Nobbs. “They came out with a lot of energy and we tried to match it. But I think we built really well into the game and eventually got the results."Rio 2016 gold and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallists Great Britain suffered defeat in their competition opener, with Barcelona 1992 gold medallists Spain earning a 2-1 triumph courtesy of early goals from Laura Barrios and Lola Reira."[Great Britain] compete very well in these kinds of tournaments”, said Spain’s Reira. “This match was important because it was the first one, but also because we faced them. They have a lot of experience and it gives them strength."Men’s Pool A: Spain recorded the most eye-catching result of the day with a superb 2-0 victory over Germany, with goals from Jose Maria Basterra and Pepe Cunill kickstarting the Red Sticks’ Olympic challenge. The result left Spain sitting fourth in the table, level on points with Germany who are third due to their superior goal difference.The Netherlands sit proudly at the top of Pool B thanks to a comprehensive 4-0 win against France, with the home fans once again making an incredible noise throughout the contest. Tijmen Reyenga, Koen Bijen, Jonas de Geus and Duco Telgenkamp all netted for the Oranje, with Bijen describing scoring his first Olympic goal as “a really special and emotional moment, with my family watching in the stands”.The contest was also noteworthy for being the first Olympic hockey match to feature mixed gender on-field umpiring teams, with Irene Presenqui (ARG) and Sean Rapaport (RSA) calling the contest. More details about this story can be found here. Great Britain ended the day second in Pool A after a late penalty corner deflection from Rupert Shipperley snatched a 2-2 draw against South Africa. Despite being disappointed on missing out on all three points, South Africa’s Dayaan Cassiem felt proud of his team’s performance. “Our energy was much better today, I think we really came out firing”, said Cassiem. “I’m really proud of the boys. Men’s Pool B: In the day’s only Pool B match, reigning Olympic champions Belgium overcame a monumental challenge from New Zealand’s Black Sticks to emerge 2-1 winners thanks to goals from Alexander Hendrickx and Florent van Aubel. The result puts Belgium clear at the top of the pool, although they have played a game more than nearest rivals India and Australia, who are both in action on Monday (29 July).Notable figures in attendance on Day 2 included Spanish royals Leonor, Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofia as well as Bollywood actor Amol Palekar, Spanish National Olympic Committee President Alejandro Blanco Bravo and Chris Jenkins, the President of the Commonwealth Games. (PR)

Sports Bulletin ReportLausanne (Switzerland): In the annals of Olympic history, few stories are as inspiring as that of the Zimbabwe women’s hockey team, affectionately known as the "Golden Girls." Their triumph at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games is a testament to the power of determination, unity, and passion for the sport. In an exclusive interview with Ann Grant, the captain of the team, we delve into the incredible journey of these pioneering women.The Road to Moscow: In late June 1980, an air of excitement enveloped the newly formed nation of Zimbabwe. The women’s hockey team had been invited to participate in the XXII Olympic Games, marking the first time women’s hockey was included as an Olympic discipline. For Zimbabwe, which had just gained independence in April of that year, this was more than just a sporting competition; it was a chance to put their fledgling nation on the world map.Ann Grant recalls the moment they received the invitation: “Our team was extremely excited to be invited to the XXII Olympic Games, especially as it was the first time women’s hockey was an Olympic discipline and our new nation of Zimbabwe was only formally confirmed in April 1980.”Initially, the team’s destination was South Africa for an annual interprovincial tournament. However, in a surprising turn of events, they were instead invited to the Moscow Olympics. With just a month to prepare, the team had to hastily organize passports, uniforms, and a multitude of administrative details, all while securing a month’s leave from their employers. The Zimbabwe National Olympic Committee worked tirelessly to ensure everything was in order, while the players juggled their full-time jobs with increased hockey practices and matches against men's teams to prepare for the games.Arrival in Moscow: Arriving in Moscow ten days before the start of the Olympics, the team faced the challenge of adapting to artificial turf, something none of the players had ever experienced. Daily practices at local stadiums were invaluable in getting accustomed to this new surface. Despite the logistical hurdles and the unfamiliar environment, the team’s spirit remained unbroken.Ann vividly remembers their initial days in Moscow: “We were taken to the super new Olympic Village with amenities open 24 hours and then rushed off to get new hockey shoes as not one of us had ever played on artificial turf, including our coach!”The Olympic Experience: Walking into Lenin Stadium for the opening ceremony was a moment of awe and pride for the Zimbabwe team. Dressed in their bright blue uniforms, they marched with their new national flag flying high. The atmosphere in the Olympic Village was electric, and the team had the chance to meet other Olympic champions like Daley Thompson and Sir Sebastian Coe.Ann describes the opening ceremony: “The aura from the beautiful stadium, the magnitude of the many spectators, and the sheer joy of being a part of this momentous occasion was a mind-blowing experience.”The Zimbabwe women’s hockey team was an enthusiastic and determined group, resolute in their mission to give their best on the field. Under the expert guidance of coach Anthea Stewart, they adapted their tactics to face unknown opponents and displayed remarkable tenacity and skill.The Golden Moment: The women’s hockey tournament was conducted on a round-robin basis, featuring teams from Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, India, Austria, and Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe remained unbeaten heading into their final match against Austria. The victory secured them the gold medal, making history as the first winners in Olympic women’s hockey and earning Zimbabwe its first-ever Olympic gold.Ann recalls the moment of victory: “It is difficult to express our feelings of sheer joy and excitement of our achievement! We stood on that red carpet to receive our gold medals from Mr. Reg Alexander, IOC member from Kenya, and Mr. Renee Frank, the President of the International Hockey Federation. The unforgettable moment our flag was raised with the beautiful Olympic hymn playing in the background.”Celebrations and Legacy: The reception back home in Zimbabwe was nothing short of spectacular. The team was welcomed with a guard of honor by school drum majorettes and a huge crowd of fans and their families. Several functions were organized to celebrate their achievement, ensuring that all Zimbabweans could share in this historic moment.The legacy of the Golden Girls continues to inspire future generations of hockey players in Zimbabwe. The annual Golden Girls Hockey Tournament, held every July, keeps the spirit of their victory alive. Many of the team members have gone on to coach at various levels, giving back to the sport that brought them together.A Fairytale to Remember: The team’s journey was meticulously documented in a handwritten diary, capturing every moment of their Olympic adventure.Ann recounts how it all came about: “Our coach, Anthea Stewart, made a team rule of writing the day's events and happenings in a handwritten diary to document, from beginning to end, the story of our own Olympic journey – this was written in the same order as your team number. What incredible memoirs “Dear Diary” has safely tucked inside, with many laughs as we read through the various stories but also tears, as we remember our dear vice-captain and wonderful leader Liz Chase who has sadly passed on.”These memoirs, filled with laughter and tears, are a cherished testament to their incredible story. Despite being scattered around the globe, the remaining members of the Golden Girls maintain close contact, bonded by their shared history and the lifelong friendships forged during their golden moment.Their story, as recounted by Ann Grant, is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved with determination, unity, and a love for the game. The Golden Girls’ victory at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games remains one of the most inspirational chapters in the history of women’s hockey and Zimbabwean sport.

Sports Bulletin ReportTerrassa (Spain): With just one day to go for the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2023/24, the players and coaches of all teams have spoken to express their expectations. The 2nd edition of the FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup will be played from 3 to 9 June 2024 in Terrassa, Spain.Canada – Sheldon Rostron, Head Coach said: “As a team we are excited to face some of the best at the Nations Cup in Terrassa, Spain. We are eager to compete again at high level event which is important to continue the growth of this team as we start a new cycle. These matches will push us and help us gain valuable insights but also show more of what we can expect from this team going forward. We're ready for a challenge and looking forward to competing at this event.” Chile – Camila Caram, Captain said: "The Nations Cup will be an interesting tournament, because all the teams are closely contested in the rankings. Every game will be very tough. This is an important challenge, because last time we were seventh and we want to improve that position. The championship will probably be very emotional, but we are focused on the tournament, tactics and technique. We'll see about the emotional part later. It's my last tournament with the Diablas after 18 years with the Chile jersey and I want to enjoy the experience to the fullest. It's nostalgic, but I'm ready to give it my all on the court." Ireland - Facundo Quiroga, Head Coach said: "The girls have put in a lot of work over the last three months to arrive at this tournament in the best possible form. They have challenged each other to grow as individuals and as a team, and we are enjoying the hockey we're playing. I believe we can go far in this Nations Cup if we play our game and enjoy the tough moments of the competition. We have an exciting challenge ahead of us." Italy – Andres Mondo, Head Coach said: "This FIH Nations Cup edition comes at a very complicated period, for all countries and especially for us, because we have a lot of players still involved in National Championships; for this reason, it was also not possible for us to arrange an ideal training. We expect to grow during the tournament, to be competitive and to put new players and new skills in our group. We are very proud and enthusiastic to know that our players always give their best for Italy." Japan – Yuri Nagai, Captain said: “For this Nations Cup, we aim to win and make it a great tournament that leads to the Paris Olympics. Our entire team will work hard together. We will make detailed adjustments and prepare well. Thank you for your support.” Korea – Jungeun Seo, Captain said: "I'm both excited and a bit worried about participating in this year's Nations Cup. As a senior, it's my responsibility to lead the juniors in such a big competition, and I'll do my best to make it a good experience for them. I also need to perform well myself and show what I can do. Competing against world-class teams is going to be tough, but I believe Team Korea can go far. My goal is to lead the players, value teamwork, and become a united team. No matter the outcome, I know we will learn a lot, grow, and come back stronger. I really hope everyone prepares well, stays injury-free, and returns home safely." New Zealand – Phil Burrows, Head Coach said: “The team is feeling energised and excited to be back playing tournament hockey. We are very committed to progressing our game throughout the tournament and beyond. Our expectations are to be in the hunt for the Nations Cup, which means our first focus point is topping our pool.” Spain – María López, Captain said: “We are very excited to play at home in Terrassa. We hope that the Spanish crowd can enjoy our performance and Spain can play the FIH Hockey Pro League next season.”