5 S’garh hockey players in core probable list
Rourkela: Five boys of Sundargarh district have made it to best 33 probables of national junior hockey squad, that would be prepare for Junior Hockey World Cup 2020. These players will now be trained and participate in all upcoming tournaments. The selection of these players has received welcoming response from hockey lovers of Sundargarh district. The budding players of Sundargarh district, who made it to national junior hockey squad are, Pankaj Kumar Rajak, goalkeeper, Shilanand lakra, Jai Prakash Patel, both forwards, Pratap lakra and Suman Bag, both full back. Pankaj Shilananda and Jai Prakash are from SAIl hockey academy, Rourkela where as Pratap is from Panposh Sports Hostel, Rourkela and Suman Bag is from Sundargarh sports hostel. Significantly, as many as 56 budding Hockey players from all over India were selected to attend the National Coaching Camp held at SAI Centre, Bengaluru from 24th to 30th May’2017 on the basis of their performance in the Seventh Junior National Hockey Championship held in Bhopal The other two cadets, who attended the selection camp but could not make it to 33 squad are Innocent Munda, mid- fielder and Rajat Minz, forward, both from SAIl Hockey Academy, Rourkela. Significantly, Pankaj Kumar Rajak, a promising goal keeper from SAIl hockey academy, has already represented India Junior in six nation Volvo International tournament -2015 held at Netherlands and also represented India senior team in 12th South Asian Games at Guwahati.
Hockey Gangapur senior team announced
Bhubaneswar: Hockey Gangpur Odisha on Monday announced a 18-member team to take part in the 7th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship (Div- A) to be held at lucknow, Uttar Pradesh from June 15 to 25. The team will proceed from Rourkela on Tuesday. Amlendu Mishra and Rajukant Saini will join the team as manager and coach respectively.Amon Tirkey will lead the team as captain while Ananda lakra will join him as vice-captain. The team has been selected after a 15 day camp held at Rourkela. The team has all potential to enter the semifinals, said chief selector Birendra lakra. Altogether 20 teams are divided in four groups to play the league round matches. Top two teams of each group will qualify for the quarterfinal matches. Hockey Gangpur Odisha placed in the group-B along with Hockey Punjab, Food Corporation of India, Hockey Bhopal and Camp and Auditor General of India. Gangpur Team: Sylvester Barla (Gk), Sujit Tappo, (Gk), Anand lakra (vice-captain), Kishor lakra, Santosh Baxla, Salman lakra, Rajendra Oram, William Xalxo, Abhishek lakra, Aijub Ekka, Sanjay Xalxo, Alsem lakra, Janma Majhi, Amon Tirkey (captain), Milin Toppo, M Dhananjay, Biju Ekka, Amarjeet Ekka.