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PR Sreejesh becomes the first Indian man to win World Games Athlete of the year award

The Indian Hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh becomes the first Indian man to win World Games Athlete of the year award.

Feb 1, 2022, 7:16 AM2 min read

PR Sreejesh, the Indian Hockey Team goalkeeper just became the first Indian man to win the World Games Athlete of the year award. This is the conductive year when an Indian Hockey player has been presented the award. Last year it was Rani Rampal who was awarded the award in the women's category.

Read Also: National Sports Awards 2021: 11 Nominations for Khel Ratna, 35 for Arjuna Award

The 33-year-old goalkeeper played an instrumental role in India's glory at the Tokyo Olympics. Moreover, his saves earned India the Bronze medal as well. This was India's first Olympic medal in Hockey after 41 years.

PR Sreejesh becomes the first Indian man to win World Games Athlete of the year award | Indian Hockey | Sportz Point

A total number of 24 athletes from 17 countries were nominated for the World Games Athlete of the year award. The award is given to the athlete considering individual and team performances along with social commitments.

Read Also: FIH Pro League: Hockey India names a 20-men squad

PR Srejeesh got 127'647 votes after three months of online voting and topped the chart. Meanwhile, Alberto Ginés López of Spain got 67'428 votes. Alberto is the first-ever Sport climbing Gold medalist from Tokyo 2020. Along with them, in the third position, it was Michele Giordano from Italy with 52'046 votes. The Wushu player is one of the most loved athletes due to his gamesmanship and humble behaviour.

Earlier in FIH Stars Awards in October, PR Sreejesh was awarded the best goalkeeper of the year award as well.

Next Article

Full list of nominations of Hockey India Annual Awards 2024

Hardik Singh, Harmanpreet Singh, Sangita Kumari and Savita Punia have been nominated for the Hockey India Best Player Award in the Hockey India Annual Awards 2024.

Mar 11, 2025, 8:07 AM3 min read

Full list of nominations of Hockey India Annual Awards 2024 | sportzpoint.com
Deepika has been nominated for the Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year. Image | Hockey India

Hockey India have announced all the nominations for the 7th Hockey India Annual Awards 2024. The award ceremony will take place on 15th March in New Delhi with a record prize pool of approx INR 12 crores. 

Read Also | Yo-Yo Test: Hardik Singh’s Revelation Sparks Debate Between Fitness of Cricketers and Hockey Players

A total of 32 players have been nominated across eight categories for the award ceremony this year. Among all the awards, the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year will be under the spotlight which will honour the best male and female hockey players of India. 

PR Sreejesh - Full list of nominations of Hockey India Annual Awards 2024 | sportzpoint.com
PR Sreejesh has been nominated for the Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year 2024. Image | Hockey India

During the ceremony, India’s Olympic bronze medal-winning team will be felicitated, along with the Men’s and Women’s teams that won the Asian Champions Trophy in 2024. The Junior Asia Cup-winning Men’s and Women’s teams will also be honoured during the award ceremony.

The award ceremony will also celebrate 50th anniversary of the Indian Men’s Hockey Team’s historic World Cup victory on the same date in 1975—their first and only title to date.

Read Also | The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025

The Nominees for the Hockey India Annual Awards 2024 are:

Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year 2024 

1. Bichu Devi Kharibam

 2. Krishan Bahadur Pathak

 3. PR Sreejesh

 4. Savita 

Hockey India Pargat Singh Award for Defender of the Year 2023

1. Sanjay

2. Amit Rohidas

3. Harmanpreet Singh

4. Udita

 Hockey India Ajit Pal Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year 2024

1. Jarmanpreet Singh 

2. Hardik Singh

3. Nilakanta Sharma

 4. Sumit

Read Also | Amir Ali: A Journey From "tin briefcase" to Hockey Glory

 Hockey India Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year 2024 

1. Lalremsiami

2. Abhishek

3. Sukhjeet Singh

4. Navneet Kaur

 Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women – Under 21) 

1. Beauty Dungdung

2. Deepika

3. Vaishnavi Vithal Phalke

4. Sunelita Toppo

Hockey India Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Men – Under 21)

 1. Arshdeep Singh

 2. Amir Ali

 3. Shardanand Tiwari

 4. Araijeet Singh Hundal

Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year (Women)

1. Savita Punia

 2. Salima Tete

 3. Sangita Kumari

 4. Navneet Kaur

Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of The Year (Men)

1. Abhishek

2. Hardik Singh

3. Harmanpreet Singh

 4. Sukhjeet Singh

Next Article

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025

These young athletes have already showed their potential on the international stage, contributing to India’s recent successes. Here’s a look at some rising stars in the Indian hockey setup who are poised to play important roles in the coming years.

Feb 8, 2025, 11:55 AM4 min read

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025 - Sportzpoint.com

The future of Indian hockey looks promising with a new generation of talented players making their mark at both junior and senior levels. 

These young athletes have already showed their potential on the international stage, contributing to India’s recent successes. 

Here’s a look at some rising stars in the Indian hockey setup who are poised to play important roles in the coming years.

Amir Ali | Defender 

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025 - Sportzpoint.com

Amir Ali, the captain of the Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team, is set to make his mark in the upcoming Hockey India League (HIL) 2024-25.

Bagged by Team Gonasika for a remarkable INR 34 lakh at the HIL auction, Amir’s rise from humble beginnings to the top of Indian hockey is nothing short of inspirational.

Amir, who is a defender, recently led the Indian Team to a Junior Asia Cup title win and now he is excited to play in the upcoming Hockey India League while aiming to continue his winning momentum.

Amir also played for the senior Indian team that won gold at the 2024 Asian Champions Trophy.

Rohit | Defender

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025 - Sportzpoint.com

Indian Junior Men’s Hockey Team defender Rohit is quickly becoming one of the star defenders in Indian hockey. 

He was an integral part of the 2023 Junior Asia Cup title-winning team, and the Bronze medal-winning team at the Sultan of Johor Cup 2023 and 2024 as well.

Playing for Hockey Chandigarh, Rohit has gained valuable international display, including at the 2023 FIH Junior World Cup.

Ankit Pal | Midfielder

Ankit Pal’s rise in Indian hockey is an inspiring story of resilience. 

At just 19, the midfielder has already represented India at the 2023 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup, where he made a significant impact.

Known for his ability to transition seamlessly between defence and attack, Ankit is a player with a bright future. 

Mukesh Toppo | Defender

Mukesh Toppo of Odisha is a standout defender in Indian hockey. 

Representing the Punjab Hockey Club Academy, Mukesh has made significant contributions to the Indian junior men’s team.

His defensive skills were on full display during important tournaments like the Sultan of Johor Cup and the Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup. 

Abhishek Nain | Forward

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025 - Sportzpoint.com

Olympic bronze medal-winning forward Abhishek Nain has quickly established himself as a key forward in the Indian men’s hockey team. 

He made his international debut in 2022 and has since played a crucial role in India’s success at the 2022 Asian Games and Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Having played 74 matches for India, Abhishek is no stranger to high-pressure situations.

Abhishek was the second-highest paid player in the revived Hockey India League auctions behind India captain Harmanpreet Singh (Rs 78 lakh), fetching Rs 72 lakh from Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers.

Vivek Sagar Prasad | Midfielder

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025 - Sportzpoint.com

Vivek Sagar Prasad from Bhopal is one of Indian hockey’s brightest stars. 

At just 17, he became the second-youngest player to debut for India.

Since then, the creative playmaker has made over 100 international appearances for India.

He also led the Indian junior hockey team to a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games 2018 in Buenos Aires.

In the same year, Vivek helped India win bronze at the Asian Games in Jakarta and silver at the Champions Trophy in the Netherlands.

The Indian hockey player was also declared the FIH Men's Rising Star of the Year in 2019.

Playing as a midfielder, Prasad was instrumental in India's bronze medal finish at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.

He was named FIH Young Player of the Year in 2021.

In 2022, Vivek Sagar Prasad helped India win silver at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

In 2023, He was part of the Indian team that won gold medals at the Asian Champions Trophy in Chennai and the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Sanjay Rana | Defender 

The New Age Indian Hockey Stars: Who to Watch in 2025 - Sportzpoint.com

The Indian Men's Hockey Team player Sanjay, who is a formidable defender and drag-flicker, made his olympic debut in Paris where the team clinched bronze. 

Hailing from Haryana, Sanjay has already earned a reputation as one of India’s most dependable defenders.

He rose through the ranks at the Chandigarh Hockey Academy, making his international debut in 2019.

Sanjay made his senior team debut in June 2022 and quickly made an impact by helping India win the inaugural FIH Hockey5s. 

He has also participated in major tournaments such as the 19th Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China, and the Hero Asian Champions Trophy Chennai 2023, where the team clinched Gold medals. 

His performance in the FIH Odisha Hockey Men's Junior World Cup Bhubaneswar 2021 earned India a 4th position, and he secured a silver medal in the 3rd Youth Olympic Games 2018.

Next Article

Indian Sports Persons To Win Padma Awards: Full list of 273 names

Former hockey team goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin are among five sportspersons named for the Padma Awards 2025 by the Indian government. Here's the full list of 273 Padma Awards and 1 Bharat Ratna in Sports so far.

Jan 27, 2025, 10:32 AM8 min read

Indian Sports Persons To Win Padma Awards: Full list of 273 names - Sportzpoint.com

Before the Republic Day, the Central Government has announced the Padma Awards, in which this year 5 Indian sportspersons have been honored for their outstanding contribution.

Veteran Indian hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will be awarded the Padma Bhushan for winning two consecutive Olympic medals.

While India's great cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin will receive the Padma Shri.

Also Read: Major sports events in India 2025 - full calendar

The Padma Bhushan is India's third-highest civilian award after Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan. Padma Shri is the fourth-highest civilian award.

The Padma Awards are given to individuals by the government for their distinguished service in any field.

There will be a total of 139 recipients of the Padma Awards 2025. The list comprises seven Padma Vibhushan, 19 Padma Bhushan and 113 Padma Shri awards.

Padma Awards 2025 | Winners in Sports

  • PR Sreejesh (hockey) - Padma Bhushan
  • Ravichandran Ashwin (cricket) - Padma Shri
  • IM Vijayan (football) - Padma Shri
  • Harvinder Singh (para-archery) - Padma Shri
  • Satyapal Singh (athletics) - Padma Shri

PR Sreejesh (Hockey) | Padma Bhushan

Indian Sports Persons To Win Padma Awards: Full list of 273 names - Sportzpoint.com

India's great hockey goalkeeper PR Sreejesh will be awarded the Padma Bhushan, who played an important role in India winning the bronze medal in the 2024 Paris Olympics

He becomes only the second hockey player to be conferred the Padma Bhushan after the legendary Major Dhyan Chand, who was honoured with the award in 1956.

Sreejesh also led India to a historic bronze medal in Tokyo 2020 and became the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year for three consecutive times.

Sreejesh's stellar career spanned 18 years, and he represented India in 336 international matches.

He is currently serving as the coach of the Indian men’s junior hockey team. 

Ravichandran Ashwin (Cricket) | Padma Shri

Indian Sports Persons To Win Padma Awards: Full list of 273 names - Sportzpoint.com

India's great spinner Ravichandran Ashwin will be awarded the Padma Shri for scoring more than 3,000 runs in 106 Test matches with 537 wickets and 6 centuries.

Before announcing his retirement during the Australia tour in December 2024, Ashwin has been a part of many historic moments for Indian cricket, including the 2011 World Cup and 2013 Champions Trophy wins. 

He retired as India's second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket last year.

His contribution led India to success in many important Test series.

IM Vijayan (Football) | Padma Shri

Indian Sports Persons To Win Padma Awards: Full list of 273 names - Sportzpoint.com

The great footballer of the 1990s IM Vijayan will also be honored with the Padma Shri Award. 

He was the biggest star of Indian football before Bhaichung Bhutia and Sunil Chhetri

Vijayan made his international debut in 1991 against Romania and remained the backbone of the Blue Tigers for 12 years.

Along with Bhaichung, IM Vijayan formed a deadly attacking duo. He hung up his boots in 2003.

Harvinder Singh (Para-archery) | Padma Shri

Indian Sports Persons To Win Padma Awards: Full list of 273 names - Sportzpoint.com

Archer Harvinder Singh, who achieved India’s first-ever Paralympic gold medal in the sport at Paris 2024, will be awarded the Padma Shri for his historic contribution. 

He was also the first archer from India to win a medal in Olympics or Paralympics at Tokyo 2020. 

For this brilliant achievement, he has been awarded the country's fourth highest civilian honour.

Harvinder contracted dengue when he was just over a year old and eventually lost the movement in his legs.

Satyapal Singh (Athletics) | Padma Shri

Former athlete and Dronacharya awardee Satyapal Singh has also been selected for Padma Shri.

Satyapal is one of India’s successful international coaches who works with national and international bodies. 

He is a former competition manager at the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) and a coach of the Indian para-athletics team. 

He was also a mentor for Paris 2024 Paralympics gold-winning high-jumper Praveen Kumar.

Also Read: Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award 2024: Full Winners List

273 Padma Awards and 1 Bharat Ratna in Sports so far | Full List

Bharat Ratna

  • Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Padma Vibhushan

  • Smt. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom
  • Sir Edmund Hillary (Posthumous)
  • Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
  • Shri Viswanathan Anand

Padma Bhushan

  • Shri Devendra Jhajharia
  • Kumari P. V. Sindhu
  • Ms. Bachendri Pal
  • Shri Pankaj Advani
  • Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni
  • Ms. Saina Nehwal
  • Smt. Sania Mirza
  • Shri Satpal
  • Shri Leander Paes
  • Shri Pullela Gopichand
  • Shri Rahul Dravid
  • Smt. M. C. Mary Kom
  • Shri Abhinav Bindra
  • Dr. Vijaypat Singhania
  • Shri Chandrakant Gulabrao Borde
  • Shri Viswanathan Anand
  • Prof. Dinkar Balwant Deodhar
  • Shri Kapil Dev Nikhanj
  • Shri Lala Amarnath
  • Shri Michael Joseph Ferreira
  • Raja Bhalendra Singh
  • Shri Sunil Manohar Gavaskar
  • Shri Vinoo Mankad
  • Shri Mihir Kumar Sen
  • Shri Ramanathan Krishnan
  • Lt. Cmdr. Mohan Singh Kohli
  • Shri Nawang Gombu
  • Shri Sonam Gyatso
  • Shri Tenzing Norkay
  • Maharajkumar Vijaya Ananda
  • Rao Raja Hanunt Singh
  • Shri Cottari Kanakaiyah Nayudu
  • Shri Dhyan Chand

Padma Shri

  • Shri Rohan Bopanna
  • Ms. Joshna Chinappa
  • Shri Uday Vishwanath Deshpande
  • Shri Gaurav Khanna
  • Shri Satendra Singh Lohiya
  • Smt. Purnima Mahato
  • Shri Harbinder Singh
  • Shri S R D Prasad
  • Shri Gurcharan Singh
  • Shri Sumit Antil
  • Shri Pramod Bhagat
  • Shri Neeraj Chopra
  • Shri Sankara Narayana Menon Chundayil
  • Shri Fasil Ali Dar
  • Ms. Vandana Kataria
  • Ms. Avani Lekhara
  • Shri Brahmanand Sagun Kamat Shankhwalkar
  • Smt. P. Anitha
  • Smt. Mouma Das
  • Dr. Anshu Jamsenpa
  • Shri O. M. Nambiar (Posthumous)
  • Ms. Sudha Singh
  • Shri Virender Singh
  • Shri K Y Venkatesh
  • Shri Zaheerkhan Bakhtiyarkhan Khan
  • Ms. Oinam Bembem Devi
  • Shri M. P. Ganesh
  • Shri Jitu Rai
  • Shri Tarundeep Rai
  • Ms. Rani
  • Shri Sunil Chhetri
  • Smt. Harika Dronavalli
  • Shri Gautam Gambhir
  • Shri Sharath Kamal Achanta
  • Smt. L. Bombayla Devi
  • Shri Bajrang Punia
  • Ms. Prashanti Singh
  • Shri Ajay Thakur
  • Ms. Saikhom Mirabai Chanu
  • Shri Somdev Kishore Devvarman
  • Shri Murlikant Rajaram Petkar
  • Shri Kidambi Srikanth
  • Shri Shekar Naik Lachma
  • Shri Virat Kohli
  • Shri Mariyappan T
  • Shri Shreejesh P R
  • Shri Vikas Shive Gowda
  • Ms. Deepa Malik
  • Ms. Dipa Karmakar
  • Ms. Sakshi Malik
  • Ms. Deepika Kumari
  • Shri Sushil Doshi
  • Ms. Arunima Sinha
  • Ms. Mithali Raj
  • Ms. P.V. Sindhu
  • Shri Sardar Singh
  • Smt. Saba Anjum
  • Dr. Sunil Dabas
  • Ms Anjum Chopra
  • Ms Dipika Rebecca Pallikal
  • Shri H. Boniface Prabhu
  • Shri Love Raj Singh Dharmshaktu
  • Shri Yuvraj Singh
  • Smt. Mamta Sodha
  • Shri Bajrang Lal Takhar
  • Shri H. N. Girisha
  • Shri Ngangom Dingko Singh
  • Shri Yogeshwar Dutt
  • Smt. Premlata Agrawal
  • Vijay Kumar
  • Ms. Jhulan Goswami
  • Prof. Ravi Chaturvedi
  • Shri Ajeet Bajaj
  • Shri Devendra Jhajhria
  • Shri Limba Ram Ahari
  • Shri Prabhakar Ambadaspant Vaidya
  • Shri S. M. Arif
  • Shri Zafar Iqbal
  • Ms. N. Kunjarani Devi
  • Ms. Shital Kamalakar Mahajan
  • Shri Gagan Narang
  • Shri Harbhajan Singh
  • Shri Sushil Kumar
  • Shri V. V. S. Laxman
  • Smt. Krishna Poonia
  • Ms. Saina Nehwal
  • Shri Ignace Tirkey
  • Shri Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan
  • Shri Ramakant Vithal Achrekar
  • Shri Vijender Singh
  • Shri Virender Sehwag
  • Shri Balbir Singh Kullar
  • Shri Harbhajan Singh Plaha
  • Shri Mahendra Singh Dhoni
  • Shri Pankaj Advani
  • Shri Bhaichung Bhutia
  • Smt. Bula Chowdhury Chakraborty
  • Kumari Koneru Humpy
  • Shri Chiranjeev Milkha Singh
  • Miss Sania Mirza
  • Shri Bahadur Singh Sagoo
  • Shri Mohan Singh Gunjyal
  • Smt. Madhumita Bisht
  • Smt. Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom
  • Lt. Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore
  • Ms. Rachel Thomas
  • Shri Anil Kumble
  • Shri Gurbachan Singh Randhawa
  • Shri Pullela Gopi Chand
  • Ms. K. M. Beenamol
  • Shri Dilip Kumar Tirkey
  • Shri Rahul Dravid
  • Shri Sourav Ganguly
  • Smt. Anju Bobby George
  • Smt. Gurumayum Anita Devi
  • Yogacharya Sadashiv Prahlad Nimbalkar
  • Ms. Jyotirmoyee Sikdar
  • Shri Gopal Purushottam Phadke
  • Shri Kanhaya Lal Pokhriyal
  • Shri Nandanoori Mukesh Kumar
  • Shri Srinivas Venkataraghavan
  • Ms. Diana Fram Edulji
  • Shri Jaspal Rana
  • Ms. Bhuvneshwari Kumari
  • Ms. Malathi Krishnamurthy Holla
  • Ms. Sunita Rani
  • Shri Dhanraj Pillay
  • Shri Leander Adrian Paes
  • Shri Mahesh Bhupathi
  • Smt. Santosh Yadav
  • Shri Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
  • Smt. Karnam Malleshwari
  • Hon. Capt. Lila Ram
  • Shri Pargat Singh Powar
  • Shri Ramesh Krishnan
  • Smt. Shiny Wilson
  • Hony Capt. Shriram Singh (Retd.)
  • Shri Ajit Pal Singh
  • Shri Aspy Darabshaw Adajania
  • Shri Hukam Singh
  • Kum. Selma Juliet Christina D' Silva
  • Shri Sonam Paljor
  • Smt. Ujwala Patil
  • Kum. Chandra Prabha Aitwal
  • Shri Gulshan Rai
  • Shri Jaman Lal Sharma
  • Shri Pradip Kumar Banerjee
  • Shri Prem Chand Dogra
  • Shri Taranath Narayan Shenoy
  • Shri Mohammed Azharuddin
  • Shri Viswanathan Anand
  • Miss Bhagyashree Vasantrao Sathe
  • Shri Dilip Balwant Vengsarkar
  • Shri Kartar Singh
  • Kumari Anupama Gajanan Abhyankar
  • Shri Geet Siriram Sethi
  • Shri Mohammed Shahid
  • Shri Swarup Krishan Reu
  • Col. Darshan Kumar Khullar
  • Miss Bachendri Pal
  • Shri Phu Dorjee
  • Miss Pilavullakandy Thekkeyparambil Usha
  • Shri Om B. Agrawal
  • Shri Charles Borromeo
  • Shri Chuni Goswami
  • Dafadar Raghubir Singh
  • Guru Lairenmayum Damu Singh
  • Miss Geeta Zutshi
  • Miss Manathoor Devasia Valsamma
  • Shri Bahadur Singh
  • Shri Chand Ram
  • Shri Guru Hanuman
  • Shri Kaur Singh
  • Shri Sat Pal Singh
  • Shri Vijay Prakash Amritraj
  • Smt. Eliza Nelson
  • Shri Kapil Dev Nikhanj
  • Shri Prakash Ramesh Padukone
  • Shri Syed M.H. Kirmani
  • Shri Vasudevan Baskaran
  • Kum. Meena Shah
  • Shri Harikant Dang
  • Shri Roshan Lal Anand
  • Shri Pankaj Lal Roy
  • Lt. Comdr. Joginder Singh
  • Shri Farookh M. Engineer
  • Major Harsh Vardhan Bahuguna (Posthumous)
  • Shri Ajit Laxman Wadekar
  • Shri Bhagavath Subramanya Chandrasekhar
  • Kum. Kamaljit Sandhu
  • Shri Chandgi Ram
  • Shri Ghaus Mohamed
  • Shri Gundappa Ranganath Viswanath
  • Shri Leslie Claudius
  • Shri Sailendra Nath Manna
  • Shri Bishen Singh Bedi
  • Shri Erapally Anantharao Srinivasa Prasanna
  • Shri Syed Mohd. Moinul Haq
  • Shri Chandrakant Gulabrao Borde
  • Nawab Mohd. Mansur Ali Khan
  • Shri Gurdial Singh
  • Shri Prithipal Singh
  • Shri Shankar Laxman
  • Shri Kishan Lal
  • Capt. Avtar Singh Vohra Cheema
  • Capt. Hari Pal Singh Ahluwalia
  • Major Narendra Kumar
  • Prof. Dinkar Balwant Deodhar
  • Shri Ang Kami
  • Shri Chandra Prakash Vohra
  • Shri Harish Chander Singh Rawat
  • Shri Phu Dorji
  • Shri Sonam Wangyal
  • Shri Wilson Jones
  • Shri Charanjit Singh
  • Shri Morapakam Josiam Gopalan
  • Shri Nawang Gombu
  • Shri Mushtaq Ali
  • Shri Gostha Behari Paul
  • Shri Nari J. Contractor
  • Shri P.R. Umrigar
  • Shri Ramanathan Krishnan
  • Shri Sonam Gyatso
  • Brig. Gyan Singh
  • Kum. Arati Saha
  • Shri Jasu Patel
  • Shri Vijay Hazare
  • Jemadar Milkha Singh
  • Shri Mihir Sen
  • Kanwar Digvijai Singh
  • Shri Balbir Singh
Next Article

World Athletics' new shoe rule: how will it impact athletes' performance?

World Athletics will enforce a 20mm sole limit for track shoes from Nov 1, 2024, aiming for fairness but sparking debate over its impact on performance.

Oct 28, 2024, 6:42 AM5 min read

World Athletics' new shoe rule: how will it impact athletes' performance?

World Athletics has earlier announced that athletes should wear shoes with a uniform 20-millimeter sole thickness limit for all events. This rule will come into action on November 1st, 2024, marking a notable change in the actions of the athletes.

This rule has been induced to welcome fairness in the game. However, this has sparked controversies. While many athletes have accepted it, some are still in dilemmas about the rule.

Well, let's look at how the rule will impact the performance. However, for now, let's look at the present thickness.

Current Shoe Sole Thickness Rules in Athletics

Presently, there is no such uniformity of sole thickness. Thickness normally varies according to the events in which the athletes participate.

Suppose, in events where an athlete will have run more than 800 meters, shoes are allowed to have a sole up to 25 mm. However, when it comes to shorter distances, the maximum thickness has been limited to 20 mm.

For field events, including the high jump, athletes have a 20mm limit. But for the triple jump, athletes are allowed to wear shoes with soles up to 25mm.

These rules were implemented in January 2022, based on the technological advancements in shoes. However, from 1st November this year, there will be no distinction in sole thickness in different events.

Point to be noted: the rules for road events like marathons and race walks, which permit a 40mm sole thickness, will remain unchanged.

Why is World Athletics enforcing a 20mm sole limit?

The main motto of World Athletics is to ensure fairness. As a result of this, the federation has decided to apply the rule of a uniform 20mm limit to the sole.

In recent years, advances in shoe technology—particularly with thicker soles and carbon fiber plates—have sparked debates about whether these shoes offer athletes some unfair advantage.

Thus, World Athletics created its own Working Group on Athletic Shoes in 2020. The main task of this group is to analyze the impact of shoe technology on performance. They also draft regulations, ensuring that athletes are focusing more on skills and not technology.

The new rule was announced well in advance to give shoe manufacturers ample time to adapt their designs.

Athletes' Reactions to the 20mm Rule Change

joshua-sportzpoint.com

Top athletes have had mixed reactions to the upcoming rule. Joshua Cheptegei, the Olympic and World Champion in the 10,000 meters, supports the change, describing it as "for the benefit of the sport."

He added that the thinner soles won’t necessarily lead to slower times, emphasizing that performance is often influenced by an athlete's mindset. Cheptegei also noted that recent shoe technology has aided recovery between training sessions, which could be impacted by the new regulations.

Meanwhile, Muktar Edris, a former two-time 5,000m World Champion, said that a thicker sole helps the athletes, providing them extra "energy" and "push." A reduced sole may hamper a regular action.

The Controversy Surrounding Shoe Technology

Usain Bolt-sportzpoint.com

The controversy regarding shoe technology is nothing new. Before 2022, the track spikes had soles with thicknesses up to 30 mm.

During the Tokyo Olympics, legendary sprinter Usain Bolt brought this issue to the public, citing the unfair advantage an athlete may receive due to thicker boots. Not only that, but with the increased use of technologically advanced shoes, world records that looked unbreakable are at stake.

Karsten Warholm, the one who holds the World Record in 400m hurdles, also expressed his concern. After winning the gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics, he questioned the boots of the runner-up, Rai Benjamin.

Warholm made serious claims that Benjamin used thicker Nike soles that provided the later an unfair advantage. Warholm's remarks not only concerned the federation but drew attention to the fine line between technological innovation and "technological doping."

The Impact of Shoe Technology on Performance

Eliud Kipchoge-sportzpoint.com

Eliud Kipchoge, the first athlete who broke the two-hour marathon barrier in 2019, sparked controversies at his time as well. He used the Nike Alphafly, which featured thick soles and carbon plates. However, the nature of the event didn't let that record count. 

Later, World Athletics introduced a rule. It required the new shoes to be in the open market for at least four months prior to the competition. This rule also aspired to thwart athletes with exclusive shoe deals from gaining an unfair advantage.

Will the 20mm sole limit affect athlete performance?

It is not exactly negative, but the athletes will solely depend on their physical abilities and techniques. Yes, a few athletes do consider this to hurt their performance, but just like Cheptegei mentioned, mental resilience and training will play a crucial role in breaking records or achieving personal bests (PB).

Well, a reduced cushion in the sole will demand more energy from the athlete. Thus, athletes need to adjust their training regimes to adapt to the new rules.

World Athletics had mentioned clearly that they want to promote uniformity. They want the athletes to rely on their power and skills, not some technology beneath their feet, that will change and evolve with time. 

However, with shoe manufacturers rushing to adapt their designs, the real test will come when athletes compete under the new regulations in 2024.

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Sultan of Johor Cup 2024: PR Sreejesh-led Indian Junior Men’s Hockey team wins opener against Japan

The team took inspiration from the former ace goalkeeper and its respected coach PR Sreejesh. This is the first stint as a coach for two-time Olympic medalist Sreejesh. He bid farewell to the sport as a player after the Paris Olympics 2024 in August.

Oct 19, 2024, 10:54 AM3 min read

Sultan of Johor Cup 2024: PR Sreejesh-led Indian Junior Men’s Hockey team wins opener against Japan

Indian Junior Men's Hockey team has defeated Japan 4-2 in the opening match of the 12th Sultan of Johor Cup 2024 here on Saturday.

The win was welcomed with a big smile by PR Sreejesh

The team took inspiration from the former ace goalkeeper and its respected coach PR Sreejesh. This is the first stint as a coach for two-time Olympic medalist Sreejesh. He bid farewell to the sport as a player after the Paris Olympics 2024 in August.

Also Read: Amir Ali: A Journey From "tin briefcase" to Hockey Glory

It was a high-octane match

Goals were scored by Amir Ali (12’), Gurjot Singh (36’), Anand Sourabh Kushwaha (44’) and Ankit Pal (47’) in India’s win while Tsubasa Tanaka (26’) and Rakusei Yamanaka (57’) scored for Japan. It was a high-octane match right from the start with India Colts playing attacking hockey, looking for scoring opportunities early in the game. 

India punctured the Japanese defense when Amir Ali scored a fine field goal in the 12th minute of the match. Japan bounced back from this early setback when Tsubasa Tanaka scored in the 26th minute to equalize. 

This equalizer didn’t dent India’s spirit as it stopped Japan from taking a 2-1 lead when Neo Sato and Yuto Higuchi worked in tandem to set up a fine shot on goal, thanks to India goalie Ali Khan who was impressive in the goalpost to make a fine save. 

Six minutes after the half-time break, India regained the lead when Gurjot Singh, who had made his senior international debut at the Asian Champions Trophy last month, scored a fine field goal. He was brilliantly assisted by Mohd Konain Dad to set up this goal and put India in good momentum.

Only minutes later, Dilraj Singh tactfully helped India earn a crucial PC which helped extend the lead to a strong 3-1 in the 44th minute. Anand Sourabh Kushwaha was on-target as his explosive drag-flick flew past Japan’s goalie Kisho Kuroda. 

Also Read: Hockey India League back after 7 years: All you need to know about it

Ankit Pal scored team's 5th goal

India’s goal-fest continued into the final quarter with Ankit Pal scoring the team’s fourth goal in the 47th minute. He picked up a rebound from a PC to put the ball past Japan’s keeper. This put India in formidable position. 

Though Japan converted a goal in the 57th minute through Rakusei Yamanaka, India stayed ahead 4-2. There were some nervy moments as the match inched towards the final hooter with Indian attackers upping the ante, hunting for a fifth goal. But Japan’s goalie Koki Origasa did well to keep the goal at bay as India ended the play with a fine 4-2 win. 

India won 3-1 over Japan in their last match in the Junior Asia Cup in May 2023 and also defeated this team 5-1 in the 2022 Sultan of Johor Cup. 

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