Former India team captain Rani holds a special camp for women strikers in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: To nurture a wide spectrum of hockey talent from Odisha, former captain of Indian women’s team Rani Rampal is conducting a special training camp for women strikers at the iconic Kalinga Stadium, here.

The camp has been organised by the Sports and Youth Services Department, Odisha, in a joint effort with Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Centre and the Hockey Association of Odisha.

To be held from August 14 to 19, the camp will serve as an opportunity for aspiring players from across the state to learn from one of the finest strikers the Indian women’s hockey team has ever had. A total of 25 players are part of this strikers’ camp and it will benefit the players from Odisha Naval Tata Hockey High-Performance Centre, Sports Hostel, Panposh, SAI STC Sundargarh and SAI NCOE Bhopal.

Talking about the camp, Rani Rampal said, “This camp is a great initiative. It is a chance for me to share my knowledge, skills and experience with these players in Odisha. During the camp, my main focus will be on the technical, physical and mental aspects of the game and intense training sessions.”

Rani also shared her thoughts on the sports ecosystem in Odisha. She said, “With so many initiatives and development over the past few years, Odisha is on the sports map of the world. The facilities over here are very modern and are of world-class level. The hockey programme in Odisha is very extensive with a great focus on sports science, nutrition and psychology. I am looking forward to my time here.”

Rani led a young squad to the fourth-place finish in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Indian women’s team’s highest finish at an Olympics in just its 3rd appearance. She made her debut in 2008 and at the age of 14, Rani became the youngest hockey player India ever fielded.

(IANS)