Olympic medalist Indian men's hockey team climbs in FIH Rankings
The Indian men's hockey team has climbed two spots in the Federation of International Hockey (FIH) rankings, moving from seventh to fifth place. This rise follows their bronze medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The team began their Olympic journey ranked seventh and improved their standing after defeating Spain in the bronze medal match. This marks their second consecutive podium finish at the Olympics.
Indian team's performance at Paris Olympics 2024
Despite a lackluster performance in the FIH Pro League that resulted in a seventh-place ranking, the Indian team showed exceptional form during the Paris Olympics. They won five matches and lost only two, earning them 2848.67 points and a position above Australia in the rankings. This impressive performance at the Paris Olympics significantly contributed to their rise in the FIH rankings.
Global rankings and Indian women's hockey team status
The Netherlands, the gold medalists at the Paris Olympics, continue to hold their top position in the FIH rankings with 3168.01 points. Germany and England trail behind in second and third places with 3035.28 and 2973.31 points respectively. Belgium, the Tokyo Olympics gold winners, are currently in fourth place. Meanwhile, the Indian women's hockey team is ranked ninth after failing to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
Hardik Singh reflects on India's Olympic journey
Midfielder Hardik Singh played a pivotal role in India's Olympic campaign. He acknowledged that while securing back-to-back Olympic medals was a significant achievement, his ultimate goal is to win gold. Singh expressed his determination to strive for this goal at the upcoming 2026 World Cup. Despite losing to Germany in the semi-finals, India bounced back by defeating Spain for bronze, a resilience Singh credits to lessons learned from Germany's own comeback story.
Singh acknowledges past players and coach's influence
Singh recognized the contributions of previous generations of players to Indian hockey, particularly those who endured the team's low points, including failing to qualify for the 2008 Olympics. He highlighted goalkeeper PR Sreejesh's recovery from a disappointing performance at the London 2012 Olympics to end his career with a bronze medal at Paris 2024. Singh also praised coach Craig Fulton for his supportive approach and credited him for conserving the team's energy by not pressing all the time.
