Despite India's dismal show at the just concluded European leg of FIH Pro League 2024-25, former Hockey Olympians Mervyn Fernandes and Joaquim Carvalho are hopeful of India's strong comeback in the Asia Cup. Carvalho and Fernandes were conferred with SJAM Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 along with nine other sports personalities on the occasion of World Sports Journalists Day at Bombay Gymkhana on Wednesday.
India won two consecutive bronze medals at the Olympics and were third with 15 points after the first round of eight home games in Bhubaneswar. However, they managed to add just three more during their final European stretch to finish eighth in the nine-team competition. Their only win came against Belgium in the last stage of the event. They may have to win the Asia Cup hockey tournament which is scheduled to take place from 27 August to 7 September in Bihar’s Rajgir to get automatic Olympic berth or go through the qualifiers.
"By winning consecutive Olympic bronze medals India has shown what they are capable of. The losses in the European leg of FIH Pro League were close. The coach (Craig Fulton) must not be too worried about the narrow losses as he seemed to try a few things. I am sure Indian hockey will perform better again after making a couple of changes in the squad," said former Indian coach and captain, Carvalho.
Six of their seven defeats in the FIH Pro League came by a single goal, five of those in the final quarter, as India conceded late goals. "India have Asia Cup coming and they have to first qualify for the Olympics. Once India qualifies for the Olympics things can fall in place again," Olympic gold medal winner, Fernandes said with optimism.
The Sports Journalists’ Association of Mumbai (SJAM) celebrated the work and accomplishments of Mumbai and Maharashtra’s outstanding talent over a period of time that has touched the sensibilities of the people of the city and State.
The other awardees included Michael Ferreira (cue sports), Niraj Bajaj (table tennis), Sanjay Sharma (badminton), Ravi Shastri (represented by his mother Lakshmi) and Shubangi Kulkarni (cricket), Pravin Thipsay (chess) and shooters Anjali Bhagwat, Deepali Deshpande and Suma Shirur.
