Sjoerd Marijne returns as Indian women's hockey team coach

Sjoerd Marijne was named as the chief coach of the Indian women's hockey team on Friday.

The Dutchman, who had led India to a historic fourth-place finish at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics five years back, returns for a third stint with the national women's team.

Marijne will be supported by Matias Vila as analytical coach. Vila is a former midfielder from Argentina who made his international debut in 1997 and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2004 Athens Olympics for Argentina. He has been involved in coaching over the past two decades.

Also making his return to the Indian hockey scene is Dr Wayne Lombard, as Scientific Advisor and Head of Athletic Performance. He will be supported by Rodet Yila and Ciara Yila, both in the role of scientific advisor.

On his return to India, after a historic stint between 2017 to 2021 where the Indian Women's Team rose in world ranking making it to top 10, Marijne said: “It’s great to be back. After 4.5 years, I return with fresh energy and a clear vision to support the team’s growth and help the players achieve their full potential on the world stage.”

Marijne’s first big challenge will be the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup Qualifiers in Hyderabad, Telangana from March 8-14.

Speaking about his appointment, Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said, "We welcome Sjoerd Marijne, and the entire support staff to the Indian Hockey family. We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (MYAS) and Sports Authority of India (SAI) for expediting the appointment in order to ensure the team's preparations for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers is not hampered. Emphasis has a been laid on fitness of the team which was one of the key reasons for Indian Women's historic performance in Tokyo. We look forward to a fruitful stint."

Marijne will arrive in India on January 14 while the national coaching camp begins on January 19 in SAI, Bengaluru.