Indian hockey savours new high, all eight nominations get top FIH awards – Delhi | India News | Sports,Hockey

New Delhi, Oct 6 : Indian hockey touched a new peak on Wednesday, making a virtual clean sweep of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) awards, with drag-flick sensation Harmanpreet Singh being crowned the FIH Player of the Year in the mens category, PR Sreejesh winning the Goalkeeper of the Year award and the mens hockey chief coach Graham Reid getting the FIH Coach of the Year award.

Former Indian womens hockey chief coach Sjoerd Marijne got the FIH Coach of the Year award in the womens category.

The voting-based annual awards had six Indian players and two coaches in mens and womens categories.This is the first time that all nominees from India have won the prestigious awards in their respective categories.

Drag-flick sensation Harmanpreet Singh was the top scorer in Indias bronze medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Olympic Games.He was nominated for the award along with Belgiums Arthur Van Doren and Alexander Hendrickx as well as Australias Jake Whetton, Tim Brand and Aran Zalewski.

Drag-flicker Gurjit Kaur won the FIH Player of The Year award in the womens category.She was nominated alongside Argentinas Agustina Gorzelany and Agustina Albertarrio.

The other nominees for the award were Netherlands Eva De Goede, Frederique Matla and Maria Verschoor.Sreejesh, who won the Goalkeeper of the Year award, had come up with a career-best performance at the Olympic Games.

The other nominees in this category were Belgiums Vincent Vanasch and Australias Andrew Charter.Custodian Savita won the Goalkeeper of the Year award in the womens category.

Savita, who was also the joint-vice captain of the womens team at the Olympics, was outstanding in guarding Indias post and played an instrumental role in the team finishing fourth in Tokyo.The other nominees in this category were Great Britains Maddie Hinch and Argentinas Belen Succi.

In the FIH Rising Star of the Year category for men, Vivek Sagar Prasad won the award for the second consecutive time.He was nominated along with South Africas Mustaphaa Cassiem and Australias Sean Findlay.

In the FIH Rising Star of the Year category for women, Sharmila Devi won the award with maximum votes ahead of Great Britains Fiona Crackles and Argentinas Valentina Raposo.Graham Reid got the FIH Coach of the Year award.

He was nominated along with Australias Colin Batch and Belgiums Shane McLeod.Congratulating the award winners, Hockey India president Gyanendro Ningombam said, "This is a great moment for Indian hockey as all our Indian nominees for the FIH Stars Awards have been announced winners.

After the historic performances in Tokyo by both the Indian mens and womens hockey teams, the support from Indian fans from across the globe has been overwhelming.We thank everyone who supported the nominees by voting for them.

"This is a big moment for us and these awards will definitely inspire future generations to take up the sport professionally.On behalf of Hockey India, I congratulate all the award winners and wish them success in their future endeavours .