Bhubaneswar: Famed Kalinga Stadium of Bhubaneswar will host two matches of the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers scheduled to be played November 1 and 2, Odisha Sports and Youth Services Department Tuesday announced.
Indian men’s hockey team will take on Russia while the women’s team will face USA in these matches.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik took to Twitter to express his joy after the announcement was made earlier in the day.
“Delighted to share that @FIH_Hockey has chosen #Bhubaneswar as host for both men & women hockey matches of #Tokyo2020 @Olympics qualifiers at #KalingaStadium on 1st & 2nd Nov. I am sure hockey fans of #Odisha will enjoy yet another memorable sporting event. #OdishaForSports,” he tweeted.
Delighted to share that @FIH_Hockey has chosen #Bhubaneswar as host for both men & women hockey matches of #Tokyo2020 @Olympics qualifiers at #KalingaStadium on 1st & 2nd Nov. I am sure hockey fans of #Odisha will enjoy yet another memorable sporting event. #OdishaForSports
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) September 10, 2019
The qualifiers came after a draw was held Monday at the headquarters of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in Switzerland’s Lausanne. The winners of the qualifiers will qualify for the 2020 Olympic hockey tournament which will be staged in Japan’ Tokyo.
The women American team is placed four places below India (ranked 9). That said, it won’t be an easy task for the Rani Rampal-led side when they take the field for the FIH Olympic qualifiers.
