Charles Dixon.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
India striker S. Karthi will be a part of the Tamil Nadu men’s hockey team in the 37th National Games to be held in Goa from October 25 to November 9.
The 22-year-old from Ariyalur will join the 40-day preparatory hockey training camp, which begins at the SDAT-Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium here on September 15, Friday, after the National team leaves for Hangzhou Asian Games.
“Karthi’s presence will be very big. It’s a great boost for the other players. He can attack and defend. Our chances are brighter with his inclusion in the National Games. We hope to be on the podium and if happens to be our day we can even win gold,” said Charles Dixon, Tamil Nadu’s head coach, to The Hindu.
At the camp, there will be four teams training. The State men’s and women’s teams will prepare for the National Games and the sub-junior (boys and girls) teams for the National sub-junior championships to be held here from October 17 to 24.
Maiden appearance
For the first time, the State women’s team will be taking part in the National Games, despite finishing ninth (among 12 teams) in the previous Senior National championships (in Kakinada, AP) as only the top eight teams qualify for the National Games.
Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu president Sekar J. Manoharan said: “The Indian Olympic Association decided that it will be the top 10 teams from the last Senior Nationals and not the top 8, which was the practice earlier. We (The women’s team) are targeting the semifinals.”
Charles conceded that the Tamil Nadu men’s team performance in the MCC-Murugappa All-India invitation tournament held recently was a bit of a disappointment, but reasoned that it was due to senior and better players playing for different teams in the tournament.
“Now all the players who missed out will play in the National Games and this is the best team we’ve got,” he said.