Dutch hockey great Bovelander to engage with Punjab players, claims Mann

Chandigarh: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, who is on a tour of the Netherlands, on Tuesday met Dutch hockey great Floris Jan Bovelander, inviting him to strengthen hockey in the state in the run-up to the Asian Champions Trophy in Oct 2024. Mann also shared photographs of his meeting on X. "His (Bovelander's) remarkable journey and experience will greatly inspire our young players. Invited him to Punjab, and he has graciously accepted our offer. He will be engaging with our athletes and motivating them ahead of the upcoming Asia Hockey Championship," Mann wrote in his post on X.A Punjab govt official aid Mann also discussed the broader ecosystem of hockey and sports in Punjab with Bovelander, and hailed his skills and contribution to hockey. Inviting the Olympian to Punjab, Mann said the state was keen to facilitate his engagement with athletes to sharpen their skills and exposure. "Punjab is committed to nurturing sporting talent and taking hockey to new heights. It is a matter of immense pride that for the first time in its history, Punjab will host the Asian Champions Trophy, which is a major milestone for the state's sporting ecosystem," he said.Mann said the trophy in Punjab is a qualified for the Champions Trophy. He added the approval of a four-nation invitational tournament will strengthen Punjab's position as a global hockey hub. "Despite a strong Punjabi presence in Indian hockey over decades, Punjab has never hosted a major international hockey tournament until now. This marks a historic shift," he added.Mann cited numbers to reveal the state's contribution to the sport. "More than 50 players from Punjab have won Olympic medals, and 10 Punjabi players have captained India at the Olympics," he added.Sansarpur, Khusropur and Mithapur villages in Punjab have collectively produced over 20 Olympians, claimed Mann. He highlighted recent achievements, stating that India's bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics came after 41 years, with nine Punjabi players in the squad led by Manpreet Singh. "In the Paris 2024 Olympics too, India secured a bronze medal, with 10 players from Punjab in the team, where Harmanpreet led the side as captain and emerged as top scorer," he added.