Savita Punia dedicates FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award to her team

Savita won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award at the FIH Hockey Stars Awards 2023 on Tuesday. This marks her third consecutive win of the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award, having emerged victorious in every edition since 2021, as per a Hockey India press release.

Upon receiving the award, Savita said, "It is difficult for me to share the overwhelming emotions I experienced upon learning that I have been honoured with this award once more, for the third consecutive year. My desire to be the best is fuelled by the shared objective of achieving victories for the team. I am not alone in this journey; the entire team defends as one. So, I want to dedicate this award to my team."

An expert panel of national associations represented by their respective national teams' captains and coaches, fans, and media, voted in these awards, and Savita was the clear choice by far for the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award. She earned 40.9 points in these votes, while her closest competitor, Germany's Julia Sonntag, earned 22.8 points.

"This acknowledgement serves as positive encouragement for me, confirming that I am on the right path. While the team has maintained good form this year, as we approach 2024, my goal is to sustain peak performance and provide the team with the best opportunity to qualify for the Olympics at the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi next month," she added.

The dynamic goalkeeper played her first international match in 2011 and has since amassed 266 caps for India. Savita, a true stalwart for the Indian women's hockey team, has been a consistent presence, leading India to various significant victories in recent years. She played a pivotal role in the team's title win at the inaugural FIH Hockey Women's Nations Cup 2022 in Spain, securing India's promotion to the FIH Pro League 2023-24.

She then led the team to a Bronze medal win at the Asian Games Hangzhou 2022, followed by the title win at the recently held Jharkhand Women's Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023. Under her captaincy, India also achieved their best-ever world rankings (Number six with 2368.83 points).

As the Indian Women's Hockey Team gears up for the important FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers Ranchi 2024, it is encouraging to have the best goalkeeper in the world guarding the goal. (ANI)