Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], January 6 : The German women's hockey team on Saturday arrived in Ranchi ahead of the upcoming FIH Olympic Qualifiers, which is slated to begin from January 13-19 2024, at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium.
The event was originally slated to be held in China, but Hockey India requested FIH to shift the venue to India after China Women's directly qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
After the German team arrived a traditional dance performance was held and they also ended up joining the performers and dancing to the tune as well.
Germany's captain Nike Lorenz talked about the tournament and told reporters, "We always try to play our best hockey and be the best team in the tournament. With the teams that are in the tournament right now, it is a different situation than we are used to. So yeah different pressure but I think we will handle it. It always feels good to be at the site for a week or so and get used to all the conditions, get used to the pitch and just feel like home before the tournament begins."
Germany's head coach Valentin Altenburg declined to talk about the tactics but feels that the team is well prepared.
"So I cannot tell you about the tactics but we are very well prepared for what is about to come and we are looking forward to playing against teams that we haven't played against," Altenburg said.
Germany, Japan, Chile and the Czech Republic are in Pool A of the Ranchi leg of the Paris 2024 FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers.
Ahead of the tournament, Hockey India, on a momentous occasion marked by unity and anticipation, formally signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for hosting the upcoming FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024 in Jharkhand.
The historic event unfolded amidst the esteemed presence of eminent dignitaries, including Indian women's hockey team players, Secretary Sports Jharkhand, IAS, Manoj Kumar and Director Sports, Jharkhand, IAS, Sushant Gaurav, Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh and Hockey India Treasurer Sekar J Manoharan were present at the occasion.
The formal signing of the MoU showcased a collective commitment and shared vision among all stakeholders involved, emphasizing the dedication to promoting and fostering the growth of hockey in India, while also showcasing the nation's prowess on the global hockey stage.
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