RIO OLYMPICS - 3 UP hockey players in India teams
Three Uttar Pradesh hockey players Danish Mujtaba, Vandana Kataria and Preeti Dubey have
been selected to represent India at the forthcoming Rio Olympics on Tuesday.
The Allahabad-born Danish, who trained at the SAI Centre in Lucknow, is a well-known name of
Indian hockey having represented the country in the 2012 London Olympics also. With 155 caps
and 26 international goals under his cap, much is expected from the 28-year-old half-liner in
Rio.
Kataria, too will add teeth to the Indian forwardline at the Games. The Haridwar born player
has been an inmate of Lucknow Sports Hostel. With 139 appearances and 38 goals, the Indian
Railway employee will be a player to watch out.
At just over 18 years, Dubey will be the baby of the women's team in Rio. Born in Gwalior,
Madhya Pradesh, she has been at the Gorakhpur Sports College for about five years. A talented
mid-fielder, Dubey was conferred with the Hockey India's (HI) Asunta Lakra Upcoming Player
Award (under-21) this year. The award also had a prize money of Rs 25 lakh.
On the selections, the secretary of Uttar Pradesh Hockey RP Singh, who is also the UP sports
director, said: “It is a great pride to Uttar Pradesh and we give heartiest congratulations to
Indian hockey Olympic team.“