Image credit : @asiahockey on Instagram
Continental dominance
Indian junior hockey pulled off a landmark win at the Junior Asia Cup in Moqi, China, and it was one of those days where it just felt like everything clicked, as they secured a double gold sweep, men’s and women’s both. These twin triumphs showed real continental control, with both teams staying sharp through the whole tournament, so they could defend their respective titles. And of course, beyond lifting the trophies, these wins also locked in dual qualification for the FIH Junior World Cups.
Men’s triumph
The Indian men’s squad grabbed a historic sixth Junior Asia Cup crown, beating South Korea 4-1 in a final that looked quite one sided. India struck early, taking a 3-0 lead before half-time, the goals coming from Ajeet Yadav, team captain Anmol Ekka, and Prabhdeep Singh . Then Ashu Maurya added a fourth in the 50th minute, before South Korea got a late consolation penalty stroke. Captain Anmol Ekka then finished things off in style, ending the tournament as top scorer with 17 goals total.
Women’s glory
On the women’s side India kept the momentum going, making it another continental title by squeezing past host nation China 1-0 in a match that stayed tense all the way. Sanika Chandrakant Mane was the one moment that mattered, scoring the winning goal in the 17th minute. India stayed unbeaten across the tournament, and their defending was pretty disciplined, shutting down China’s forward surges especially in the closing stretches. The title also confirmed a third consecutive Junior Asia Cup win- after their previous successes in 2023 and 2024.
National recognition
For these historic showings, Hockey India handed out cash rewards, 3 lakh rupees to every player and 1.5 lakh rupees to each support staff member. National leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, praised both squads for their exceptional skill and sheer determination on the global stage . Overall, these wins highlight how strong India’s youth development pipeline is, and now as both teams shift their attention toward world championship preparations, they’ll be aiming to carry that momentum forward again and again.
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