New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Hockey India on Friday announced the appointment of Sjoerd Marijne as the chief coach of the Indian women’s hockey team, marking the return of the Dutchman to the Indian set-up after a historic performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games when the team finished fourth in only their second appearance at the quadrennial event in more than 36 years.

Marijne will be supported by Matias Vila as analytical coach. Vila is a former midfielder from Argentina who made his international debut in 1997 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics for Argentina. He has been involved in coaching over the past two decades.

“Also making his return to the Indian hockey scene is Wayne Lombard, as Scientific Advisor and Head of Athletic Performance. He will be supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both in the role of scientific advisor,” Hockey India said in a release.

On his return to India, after a historic stint between 2017 to 2021 where the Indian women’s team rose in world ranking, making it to the top 10, Marijne said, “It’s great to be back. After 4.5 years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the team’s growth and help the players achieve their full potential on the world stage.”

Marijne’s first big challenge as chief coach will be the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana, from March 8 to 14. He will arrive in India on January 14, while the National Coaching Camp begins on January 19 in SAI, Bengaluru.

Speaking about his appointment, Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey said, “We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the appointment in order to ensure the team’s preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers are not hampered. Emphasis has been laid on the fitness of the team, which was one of the key reasons for the Indian women’s historic performance in Tokyo. We look forward to a fruitful stint.”

Hockey India Secretary General Bhola Nath Singh reflected similar views and said, “We wish Sjoerd Marijne and the rest of the support staff the very best in their endeavours. Sjoerd comes with the understanding of the team; many players in the core group have already played under him. We now expect this team to perform well, especially with the Asian Games coming up and the World Cup Qualifier.”

–IANS

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