New Delhi, Aug 31 : Aspiring hockey players are all set for the 1st Hockey India Sub Junior Inter-Zone Championship 2024 which begins on September 1. Ranchi, Jharkhand will host the men's event while Narwana in Haryana will play host to the women's event.

The marquee tournament in the Hockey India calendar for the Sub-Junior category promises to provide an ideal platform for the budding stars of the game to showcase their talent and be in the reckoning for Hockey India's junior programs.

In the Sub Junior Men Inter-Zone Championship 2024, six teams are divided into two pools, this includes North Zone, South Zone and SAI in Pool A and East Zone, West Zone and Academy in Pool B. The seven-day tournament will be held at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium which has successfully hosted international tournaments in the past.

Meanwhile, the Sub Junior Women Inter-Zone Championship 2024 in Narwana will feature North Zone, East Zone, SAI BAL in Pool A and South Zone, West Zone, SAI Shakti and Academy will be part of Pool B. The seven-day event will be held at the Navdeep Stadium, Narwana in Haryana.

Speaking about the event, Dr Dilip Tirkey, president of Hockey India said, "We are happy to introduce the Hockey India Sub Junior Men and Women Inter-Zone Championship in the national hockey calendar. This will be an important fixture for aspiring hockey players and will create a road map for them to progress into the junior tournaments. Through this tournament, we not only want to give the youngsters an opportunity to shine but also get them adept at competitive hockey from a young age."

Bhola Nath Singh, secretary general of Hockey India also emphasised on the importance of this tournament. He said, "We are delighted to begin this marquee tournament for Sub-Juniors. This initiative is part of our grassroot development programme which will ensure more players will get recognised and we can also scout talented players at a young age. A special mention to Hockey Jharkhand and Hockey Haryana for taking up the responsibility of hosting these championships. We want the young players to have the best experience during these events."

/IANS