India’s women’s hockey team failed to qualify for 2024 Paris Olympics after their narrow 1-0 defeat to Japan on Friday (Jan 19). The FIH Olympic Qualifiers, currently underway in Ranchi saw the hosts miss out on direct qualification during the Asian Games 2022. They also lost on Thursday where a win for them could have sealed a place in the prestigious tournament. It’s worth reminding that India’s women’s team played in the bronze medal match of the Olympics in Japan where they missed narrowly.

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Indian women to miss Paris Olympics

Entering a must-win contest at the FIH Qualifiers, India needed to win the bronze medal to reach the Olympics. A sixth-minute goal from a penalty corner from experienced Urata Kana was the difference-maker between the sides as the visitors consolidated on the lead until the final whistle to claim a place in the Paris showdown. They had earlier lost in a penalty shootout in the semifinal for the gold medal against Germany on Thursday.

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The Indian team consisting of experienced players like Udita Duhan and Deepika failed to make the most of their chances in the remaining quarters. Japan on the flip side played on the counterattacks and almost produced another goal in the third quarter before failing to convert in the final third.

The scoreboard would then remain unscratched as the hosts failed to break the duck in a fiercely contested match which ended in disappointment.

Indian women’s team has only played in three Olympics in the past and have failed to reach the tournament for the first time since 2012. India’s maiden appearance in the women’s department came in the 1980 Moscow Olympics while the 2016 Rio Olympics and 2020 Japan Games were other appearances for them.

India’s hockey medal hopes at the Olympics now lie on the shoulders of the men’s team who qualified for the big event through the Asian Games. Having won gold at the continental showpiece, India were guaranteed a place in the Olympics and did not have to play in the qualifiers. The Paris Olympics will start in August.

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