Laussane: The Indian men’s hockey team drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh and his female counterpart Gurjit Kaur were on Monday nominated for the FIH Player of the Year awards as the country made the short-list of all the categories on the back of its stupendous performance in the Tokyo Olympics.Veteran India custodian P R Sreejesh was among three short-listed for the Goalkeeper of the Year award for men while Savita Punia was among three short-listed in the women’s category. The Indian men’s team head coach Graham Reid and women’s team counterpart Sjoerd Marijne were among three nominees for the FIH Coach of the Year award for men and women. Harmanpreet had scored a whopping six goals from eight matches from his drag-flick to help the Indian men’s team clinch a historic bronze, its first Olympic medal in 41 years.
Gurjit was also a pivotal member of the Indian women’s team that reached the semifinals for the first time before losing to Great Britain in the bronze medal play-off.
The 25-year-old from Punjab had scored the decisive goal from the penalty corner in India’s stunning 1-0 win over Australia in the quarterfinals. Argentine players Agustina Albertarrio and Agustina Gorzelany and Dutchwomen Eva de Goede, Frederique Matla, and Maria Verschoor were the others nominated for the FIH Player of the Year for women.
Besides Harmanpreet, Arthur van Doren and Alexander Hendrickx from gold winners Belgium and Jake Whetton, Aran Zalewski and Tim Brand of silver winners Australia were nominated for FIH Player of the Year for men.