Odisha Hockey Team Returns to Bhubaneswar with Historic Victory Crown

The Odisha Men’s Hockey Team scripted history by winning 5-1 over Haryana in the final of the 14th Hockey India Senior Men’s National Championship 2024. Notably, this was the first time ever that the state team had entered the final of the coveted hockey contest.

Overjoyed by the win, the team received a grand welcome post their arrival at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar. A large crowd, including young school students, waved and cheered for them along the airport terminal entrance, even as the players were seen shaking hands and interacting with them.

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The Governor of Odisha, Raghubar Das, and Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi extended their heartfelt congratulations to the team for this historic achievement, with the latter writing, “Huge congratulations to the Odisha Hockey team on clinching their historic first-ever gold medal at the 14th Hockey India Senior Men National Championship 2024! The Odisha team triumphed over Hockey Haryana today, marking a major milestone,” in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Odisha defeated a formidable Haryana team at Mayor Radhakrishnan Stadium in Chennai with Shilanand Lakra playing a crucial role by scoring a hat-trick of goals to secure the team's victory. Captain Dipsan Tirkey, the victorious Odisha team received praise from all quarters with coach Vijay Kumar Lakra declaring that “this victory is for the people of Odisha, who have always supported hockey,” in his post-match interview.

Finally, Hockey India's president and Odisha’s pride, Dilip Kumar Tirkey said in his address to the media that Odisha winning the 2024 Senior Men’s National Championship was a “dream come true for him”.

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Meanwhile, he also expressed himself feeling "proud" of the "hard work" that the team had put in. As such, he was grateful that the long wait had finally come to an end thanks to the efforts of the players as well as the state government in promoting hockey.