ID :
169203
Fri, 03/18/2011 - 11:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/169203
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AZLAN SHAH TOURNEY TESTBED FOR PAKISTAN 2012 OLYMPICS PREPARATION
By P. Vijian
NEW DELHI, March 18 (Bernama) -- Asian hockey champions Pakistan will rely on the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup championship as a testbed for players and coaches to kick-start its 2012 London Olympics campaign.
Pakistan, four-time world champions and 2010 Asian Games winners, have even retained their Dutch coach Michel Van Dan Heuvel, to shape the team for the Sultan Azlan tourney and later for the Olympics.
"We are taking the (Sultan) Azlan Cup seriously, this is where our
preparations for the London Olympics start.
"It will be crucial for the team, players, coaches and the management," Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Muhammad Asif Bajwa told Bernama in a telephone interview from Lahore Friday.
Pakistan, thrice winners of the tournament and five-time runners-up, would begin their 10-day first phase training camp early next month.
The team is likely to face an arduous task to compete in the Sultan Azlan Cup, as it would be the first major event since the Guangzhou Games last November.
The postponement of a three-match series against arch-rival India had posed a slight setback for the Pakistani players, who still lack competitive warm-up matches outside the country.
"There was a big lay-off since the Asian Games. We did not have any serious event except domestic tournaments. We can't predict our chances as the world's top teams will be participating, but we are sure of a good performance," added Asif.
Last Wednesday, the PHF at its executive board meeting agreed to extend the Dutch coach's tenure until 2012.
The annual Sultan Azlan Cup would be held in Ipoh from May 5 to 15 -- where seven nations are expected to participate.
NEW DELHI, March 18 (Bernama) -- Asian hockey champions Pakistan will rely on the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup championship as a testbed for players and coaches to kick-start its 2012 London Olympics campaign.
Pakistan, four-time world champions and 2010 Asian Games winners, have even retained their Dutch coach Michel Van Dan Heuvel, to shape the team for the Sultan Azlan tourney and later for the Olympics.
"We are taking the (Sultan) Azlan Cup seriously, this is where our
preparations for the London Olympics start.
"It will be crucial for the team, players, coaches and the management," Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) secretary Muhammad Asif Bajwa told Bernama in a telephone interview from Lahore Friday.
Pakistan, thrice winners of the tournament and five-time runners-up, would begin their 10-day first phase training camp early next month.
The team is likely to face an arduous task to compete in the Sultan Azlan Cup, as it would be the first major event since the Guangzhou Games last November.
The postponement of a three-match series against arch-rival India had posed a slight setback for the Pakistani players, who still lack competitive warm-up matches outside the country.
"There was a big lay-off since the Asian Games. We did not have any serious event except domestic tournaments. We can't predict our chances as the world's top teams will be participating, but we are sure of a good performance," added Asif.
Last Wednesday, the PHF at its executive board meeting agreed to extend the Dutch coach's tenure until 2012.
The annual Sultan Azlan Cup would be held in Ipoh from May 5 to 15 -- where seven nations are expected to participate.
