With the arrival of the new year, the attention of the sporting world has shifted to its most historic competition. The Olympics are set to be held in Paris in 2024, after the 2020 event was postponed to 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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It has been a mixed bag for Indian hockey as far as the Paris Olympics are concerned. The men's team qualified for the tournament well in advance, while the women's team failed to make it, and it was beset by off-field issues.
On Wednesday, the schedule for the tournament was released by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Hockey Federation (FIH).
Indian men's hockey team at Paris Olympics - Group, draw, complete fixtures and schedule
The tournament will kick off on Saturday, July 27, with the men's pool A match between Great Britain and Spain at 10:00 AM local time. The women's tournament will begin after all six men's matches on opening day, at 7:45 PM local time.
| Pool A | Pool B |
| Netherlands | Belgium |
| Spain | Argentina |
| Germany | India |
| France | New Zealand |
| Great Britain | Australia |
| South Africa | Ireland |
When is India's first match at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
India's opening fixture will be on July 27 against New Zealand, at 5:30 PM local time (9:00 PM IST). They will play a total of five matches in the pool stage of the tournament.
| Date | Time (IST) | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 27 | 9:00 PM | New Zealand | India 3-2 New Zealand |
| July 29 | 4:15 PM | Argentina | India 1-1 Argentina |
| July 30 | 4:45 PM | Ireland | India 2-0 Ireland |
| August 1 | 1:30 PM | Belgium | |
| August 2 | 4:45 PM | Australia |
What is India's record in men's hockey at the Olympics?
While India does not traditionally have a great history at the Olympic Games, hockey is a sport in which the men's team has always excelled. India is the most successful country in this tournament, with eight gold medals. The next best tally is three, by Pakistan, Great Britain and Germany.
However, recent history has not been kind to India. They won bronze at the 2020 Olympics, but their last medal before that was the gold in Moscow 1980. It has now been 44 years since India's last gold medal.
| Medal | Number | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Gold | 8 | 1928, 1932, 1936, 1948, 1952, 1956, 1964, 1980 |
| Silver | 1 | 1960 |
| Bronze | 3 | 1968, 1972, 2020 |
What is the format for hockey at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
The format of both the men's and women's tournaments is the same. Each has twelve teams, split into Pool A and Pool B of six teams each. Each team will play the other in their pool once, gaining three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss.
After all the teams have played each other, the top four from each group will qualify for the quarterfinals, and fight it out in a knockout format. This year, the pool matches will conclude on August 2 (men) and August 3 (women) with the respective knockout matches taking place on alternate days after that.
