Hardik Singh joins elite group, named FIH player of year

PTI

Lausanne, December 19

Indian men’s hockey team midfielder Hardik Singh and women’s side captain Savita Punia today won the FIH Player of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year awards, respectively. The awards were declared following a vote by an expert panel, national associations — represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches — fans and media.

Hardik became the third Indian player to win the award, joining Manpreet Singh (2019) and Harmanpreet Singh (2020-21 and 2021-22). With 114 caps to his name, Hardik is the next big thing in Indian hockey. He rightly showcased that when he became a vital cog in India’s bronze winning campaign at the Tokyo Olympics and his performances have gone from strength to strength since then. With his flamboyance in the midfield, he has become one of the pivotal members of the Indian team in recent years.

“When you’ve got a great team, they make your game better and life easier. I am grateful for all those who have voted for me and thankful to the entire team and Hockey India for helping me reach this stage,” said the current India vice-captain.

As for Savita, this is her third consecutive FIH Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award. She has been in prolific form throughout 2023. The 33-year-old will be looking to help India qualify for the Paris Olympics with a top-three finish at the FIH qualifying event in Ranchi in January next year.

“Thankful to all my teammates and support staff who have helped me grow as an individual. This award will motivate me to work harder and get more success for our country. Lastly, thankful to all those who voted for me,” she said.

Xan de Waard of the Netherlands has been elected as the women’s Player of the Year. Dutch goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award among men, while the awards for FIH Rising Stars went to Teresa Lima (Spain) and Gaspard Xavier (France).

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