Field hockey News: Navjot Kaur’s journey from a lazy child to India’s hard-working midfielder
The 27-year-old Navjot Kaur was a part of the Indian women's team that finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics 2021, but in August of the following year, she couldn't participate in the Commonwealth Games, where India won silver due to an unfortunate Covid-19 infection.
Navjot Kaur was team member of Women's hockey at the Tokyo Olympics 2021.She will now compete in the FIH Nations Cup in Spain. Navjot decided to become a hockey player and make it big to support her father, who lived on meagre earnings.
She rose through the ranks and is now a midfield mainstay in the Indian senior team. Her versatility allows her to defend and attack based on her team's needs.
She was a part of the women's team that grabbed bronze at the Junior Women's World Cup in 2013. She also played for India when they won bronze and silver at the 2014 and 2018 Asian Games, respectively.
She scored 18 goals across all competitions. Her coach Baldev Singh is behind her transformation into a hardworking women's national team member.
Navjot disclosed that she was highly prone to crying when she was younger, but her coach was strict enough to get her out of her comfort zone.
Despite the troubles she faced during her training sessions, she was unfazed. Her parents did not watch her matches at the Olympics because it would afflict them with anxiety.
Navjot will now compete at the Nations Cup when India play their first match against Chile on 11 December. She will adorn the number one jersey worn by her idol, former Australian captain Jamie Dwyer.
She openly talks about her love for Dwyer. "I was a big fan of Dwyer. I'm not sure how, I didn't ask for it, but I was handed the No 1 jersey. It was a coincidence, but I took it happily," Navjot shared.
Hockey World Cup trophy tours 14 states
The final leg of the hockey tour will be held in Rourkela before it concludes at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. The tournament's final match is scheduled to take place on 23 January, 2023.
On Monday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the trophy tour of FIH Hockey Men's World Cup 2023. He handed over the trophy to Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey in the presence of esteemed personalities in the hockey community.
Hoping for the trophy tour to be successful, Naveen stated: "I hope the trophy tour will build excitement for the World Cup across India."
"We will be hosting 16 teams and the matches will be played in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela. I am sure it will be a memorable World Cup for the teams and the fans."
Over the next 21 days, the trophy will tour West Bengal, Assam, Manipur, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Haryana, Punjab, New Delhi, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Chattisgarh before landing back in Odisha on 25 December.
After returning to Odisha, the trophy will travel around all the districts. It will also reach Sundargarh, a popular spot for hockey in the place. The last leg will be hosted in Rourkela before placing it in the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar.