Italy women visit Ranchi’s Jagannath Temple on the eve of FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers

It may not be among the favourites at the competition, but the Italian women’s hockey team made sure it started its campaign at the Olympic Qualifiers on an auspicious note. The team visited the famous Jagannath Temple at Ranchi Hill here on the eve of the tournament on Friday and even performed the traditional prayers before indulging in some local shopping.

The Italians, ranked 19 in the world and clubbed with host India besides New Zealand and USA in Pool B, have never been to the Olympics so far. The lack of experience can be gauged from the fact that captain Federica Carta, with 57 matches, is the most capped player in the side.

“It was an amazing experience at the temple. The team manager and our Indian guide suggested this visit. I was very curious about it, the culture and the religion. I have never been outside Europe before so it was something new and special. We did all the things that Indians do, the prayers and the rituals, it was very exciting,” Federica explained.

Following her father and brother into the sport despite it not being too popular back home, Federica knows the importance of this tournament. “It’s very emotional to be here. India is a country that has a great culture and history of hockey, so we are very excited to start. It’s a very important tournament for us and a great opportunity for us, not just as a team but as a country and for the sport back home,” she hoped.