Indian hockey players sweep FIH Stars Awards – Olympics

by Kenneth Nzeh October 6, 2021

October 6, 2021 426 views

Harmanpreet Singh and Gurjit Kaur were named the FIH Player of the Year

Harmanpreet Singh and Gurjit Kaur were named the FIH Player of the Year in the

men’s and women’s categories, respectively. Indian hockey players swept 2020-21

edition of the FIH Stars Awards, the international hockey federation (FIH) announced

on Wednesday.

“As a likely outcome of India men’s first Olympic medal for 41 years, as well as

the outstanding performance of the Indian women’s team reaching the last four in

, India’s athletes and coaches dominate the FIH Hockey Stars Awards 2020-21,”

FIH said in a statement.

Athletes Gurjit Kaur (Best Player, Women), Harmanpreet Singh (Best Player, Men),

Savita (Best Goalkeeper, Women), PR Sreejesh (Best Goalkeeper, Men), Sharmila Devi

(Best Rising Star, Women) and Vivek Prasad (Best Rising Star, Men) as well as the

coaches of India’s women’s team, Sjoerd Marijne (NED) and India’s men’s team,

Graham Reid (AUS) grabbed the highest number of votes in their respective

categories. 79 National Associations — represented by their respective national

captains and coaches — have voted (Africa: 11 out of 25 Member Associations; Asia:

29 out of 33; Europe: 19 out of 42; Oceania: 3 out of 8; Pan America: 17 out of 30).

And with a record number of almost 300,000 fans casting their votes, fan

participation in the FIH Hockey Stars Awards has been exceptional.

Tellingly, all winning athletes have topped the standings in each of the three voting

groups (National Associations / Fans and Players / Media).

Belgium (Men) and the Netherlands (Women), who were not only crowned Olympic

Champions but also won the 2020-21 FIH Hockey Pro League, as well as the GBR/ENG

Women’s team, were also given high recognition by the voting groups.

Belgium’s Alexander Hendrickx and Arthur van Doren were voted second and third

best Players respectively, with Vincent Vanasch named second best Goalkeeper and

Shane McLeod (NZL) second-best Coach.

For the Netherlands, Eva de Goede and Frederique Matla clinched the respective

second and third places in the FIH Player of the Year Award while Alyson Annan

(AUS) finished on the second spot of the FIH Coach of the Year Award

For Great Britain/England, Goalkeeper Maddie Hinch, Rising Star Fiona Crackles and

Coach Mark Hager (AUS) all reached the third spot of their respective categories.