Indian men's and women's hockey team attain best-ever rankings after Tokyo Olympics

India’s men and women’s hockey teams came up with splendid performances to finish third and fourth, respectively, at the Tokyo Olympics. Consequently, they have soared to an all-time high in the FIH World Rankings.

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Lausanne, First Published Aug 8, 2021, 1:13 PM IST | Last Updated Aug 8, 2021, 1:13 PM IST

The Indian hockey team, both men and women, are high on confidence following their strong show at the Tokyo Olympics, finishing third and fourth, respectively. Consequently, it has done them wonders in the FIH World Rankings.

The International Hockey Federation released the updated rankings of both genders on Sunday. While the Indian men have risen to the third spot, the women have climbed to the eighth spot, which is just a place better than their previous ranks.

The Indian men finished with the bronze medal, defeating Germany in the playoff. As for the Indian women, it lost to Great Britain in the playoff, finishing fourth.

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“It’s the reward of all the hard work and dedication towards the game we love, towards the game which has given us everything. This ranking and the Olympic medal after 41 years mark the rise of Indian Hockey…there is no looking back now. We have set the benchmark for ourselves and would like to grow from here,” said India men’s skipper Manpreet Singh in a statement to Hockey India.

“We were very close to finishing on the podium, and it is hurting the team that we didn’t. However, we have made remarkable progress in recent years, looking at the bright side, and I am proud of it. Finishing in the top four at Olympics, and climbing to the 8th position in world rankings, is a huge thing for us, which has boosted our confidence. It will certainly help us grow going forward,” said women’s captain Rani Rampal.

As for the rankings, the top spot in men is claimed by Belgium, followed by Australia at the second. For women, Netherlands dominates the top spot, followed by England, Argentine, Australia, Germany, Spain and New Zealand.

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