Monday 16 / December / 2024
Muscat: Oman has earned high praise from the International Hockey Federation (FIH) for its outstanding hosting of the Women’s and Men’s Junior Asia Cups 2024 at the state-of-the-art Hockey Oman Arena in Al Amerat, which concluded on Sunday.
FIH President Tayyab Ikram, acknowledging the country’s significant contribution to global hockey, said: “Oman has once again demonstrated its remarkable ability to organise top-tier events, with both the women’s and men’s Asia Junior Cups executed flawlessly.
“The country’s commitment to the sport and the superb facilities at Hockey Oman Arena make it a standout destination for international competitions. The dedication of Oman Hockey Association (OHA) officials to the sport and impeccable hosting standards have elevated hockey in the region.”
India triumphed in both tournaments, with the women’s team securing the Junior Asia Cup title through a nail-biting penalty shootout against China on Sunday, while the men’s team claimed the title with a 5-3 win over Pakistan earlier this month.
The Women’s Junior Asia Cup not only crowned champions but also finalised Asia’s representatives - India, China, South Korea, Japan, and Malaysia - for the expanded 24-team FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup in Santiago, Chile, in 2025. Third-placed South Korea, along with Japan and Malaysia, rounded out the top five teams, all securing their spots.
Ikram added: “Congratulations to all five Asian teams that have qualified for next year’s FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup in Chile, where 24 teams will compete for the first time. A special mention to India for being crowned 2024 Junior Asian Cup champions.”
The FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2025 will be held in Santiago, Chile. Beyond the hosts, teams from Argentina, Uruguay, the United States, and Canada have already qualified from the Americas, while Belgium, England, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland have qualified from Europe. Three more teams from Oceania and Africa will join them, completing the qualification process over the next few months.
India’s double triumph in Oman underscores the region’s growing prominence in hosting elite hockey events, further boosting its reputation on the global stage.
The Hockey Oman Arena, with its state-of-the-art facilities, continues to bolster Oman’s reputation as a pivotal hub for international hockey. With its successful hosting of back-to-back events, Oman not only promotes hockey’s growth in the region but also strengthens its standing as a destination for global sporting excellence.
In the Women’s Asia Cup, China, India, Japan, and South Korea finished in the top two spots of their respective pools, qualifying for both the semi-finals and the World Cup.
As the final spot for the World Cup went to the fifth-place team, the 5-8 place classification matches were crucial. Thailand and Malaysia defeated Chinese Taipei and Hong Kong respectively to move on to the 5th-6th place match. Malaysia won the crucial match-up to become the final Asian team to qualify for the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup Chile 2025.
In the first semi-final, India beat Japan 3-1, while China defeated South Korea 4-1 in the other semi-final. India gained revenge for their group-stage defeat by China in the final on Sunday, winning 3-2 in a thrilling penalty shootout after the teams were deadlocked 1-1 at the end of regulation time.
