Indian Women’s Rugby Qualifies for Asian Games

The Indian women’s rugby 7s team has secured qualification for the upcoming Asian Games to be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8. The team earned the seventh rank in the continent, making them eligible to participate in the prestigious event.

Over the past few years, the Indian team has consistently performed well in Asian tournaments, winning three silver medals in the Asia Rugby 7s Trophy, Asia Rugby U20 Championship, and Asia Rugby U18 Championship.

The Indian Olympic Association’s policy for team events states that teams ranked up to eighth among Asian countries in the past year are considered for the Asian Games.

President of the Indian Rugby Football Union, Rahul Bose, expressed his excitement about the opportunity for Indian women to compete at the Asian Games. He hopes the team will exceed expectations and make India proud. Preparations are already underway in SAI, Kolkata, with around two months of training before departing for Hangzhou.

During this preparation period, the team will also visit Borneo as part of an international exposure tour. The final traveling team of 14 athletes will be announced after the camp held at SAI Netaji Subhas Eastern Centre, Kolkata.

The camp, monitored by head coach Ludwiche Van Deventer and assistant coaches Kiano Fourie and Terrence Joseph, includes notable players like Kalyani Patil, Lachmi Oraon, Sheetal Sharma, Shweta Shahi, Jyothi Yellamma, Mama Naik, and Chelsea Goswami. They are among the 40 players shortlisted for the camp.

The Indian women’s rugby team is excited to represent their country and aims to make a mark in the Asian Games, showcasing the progress and potential of Indian Rugby on the international stage.
Re-reported from the article published in News18.