Kuantan, Oct 19:
Asian Games gold medalists India start as the overwhelming favourites to reclaim the Asian Champions Trophy (ACT) men’s hockey tournament featuring continent’s top six nations, starting here tomorrow.
Winners of the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy at Ordos five years ago, India have since then been indifferent in fielding their best squad for this competition, which suffered from lack of enthusiasm among the continent’s hockey elite.
After two editions of the annual event were not conducted in 2014 and 2015, the Asian Champions Trophy got a boost from the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) decision to include it in the qualification system for future Olympics and World Cups.
The FIH decision has attracted the top Asian hockey talent to the Malaysian post city of Kuantan which will quality action from October 20 to 30.
Indian team coach Roelant Oltmans has implored his side for positive results in this outing. (PTI)
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