Rourkela (Odisha) [India], July 8 : Hockey Madhya Pradesh on Friday were crowned Champions of the 13th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2023 beating Hockey Jharkhand 1-0 in the Final. With the win, Hockey Madhya Pradesh not only lifted the Title for the first time but also remained unbeaten in the tournament.
Speaking on their successful campaign, Neha Rawat, Coach of Hockey Madhya Pradesh, said, "When we first came, our primary objective was to stay among the top teams and as the games progressed, we improved and it was a great learning curve for the young players and I am sure that this experience will help improve their game going forward. The atmosphere in the team and the players are now preparing for the upcoming National Games.
Sharing her thoughts on being unbeaten in the tournament, Neha said, "Yes, there have been ups and downs but the players never gave up. They always gave their 100%. To be honest, I was not expecting this but it is a testament to the players' dedication and hard work. The unity among the players was our biggest strength that led us to win the 13th Hockey India Junior Women National Championship 2023."
Meanwhile, coach of Hockey Jharkhand Himanshu Kumawat opened up about the silver medal and how the team fared in the Championship. "It was a closely fought match. The players gave their everything but there can be only winner. Our aim was to lift the trophy but nonetheless we are happy and the players have surely won the hearts if not the match. Going forward, we have to concede less goals early on in the game as we don't want to play in pressure which leads to mistakes that can cost us the game in the end."
Also, Azad Malik, Coach of Hockey Haryana, who defeated Chhattisgarh Hockey 12-2 to bag the Bronze Medal said, "After winning two Junior Nationals, we were a bit disappointed to lose in the Semi-Finals. We have to work on a lot of details. We have analysed where it went wrong for us and we will work to improve on that. The team was determined for a podium finish and we implemented our plans and strategies to perfection. Winning by a margin of 10 goals is massive. The players were amped up before the match. I told the players to forget about what happened in the last match, we should only look forward and give it our best. I would like to congratulate Hockey Madhya Pradesh on becoming the Champions."
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