Hockey Jharkhand Clinches Title at Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026

Hockey Jharkhand Triumphs in National Championship

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], April 12: In a thrilling finale, Hockey Jharkhand successfully defended their title, emerging victorious in the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Women National Championship 2026 held in Ranchi. They secured the championship by defeating Hockey Madhya Pradesh in a tightly contested Division 'A' final.

In the battle for third place, the Hockey Association of Odisha claimed the Bronze medal by overcoming Uttar Pradesh Hockey.

The championship match was a nail-biter, with Hockey Jharkhand edging out Hockey Madhya Pradesh 2-1. Sugan Sanga opened the scoring for Jharkhand with a penalty corner conversion in the 5th minute. However, Madhya Pradesh's Nammi Geethasri equalized in the second half at the 37th minute. As the match progressed and both teams sought a decisive goal, Sewani Kerketta emerged as the hero for Jharkhand, scoring a vital field goal in the 56th minute to clinch the title.

Jharkhand's journey to victory was marked by an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament. They topped Pool A with two wins and continued their dominance with back-to-back 2-0 victories in the quarter-finals and semi-finals against Hockey Punjab and Uttar Pradesh Hockey, respectively. Sandeepa Kumari was a standout player, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with five goals.

Earlier in the day, the Hockey Association of Odisha secured the bronze medal by defeating Uttar Pradesh Hockey 4-2 in the 3rd/4th place match of Division 'A'. Priyanka Minz was instrumental in Odisha's victory, scoring two goals in the 8th and 18th minutes. Priya Princess Ekka (22') and Archana Kujur (27') added to their lead, establishing a strong position in the match.

Uttar Pradesh's captain, Arika Kumari, managed to score a penalty stroke in the 29th minute, and Mamta Kumari converted a penalty corner in the final minutes. However, Odisha's early lead proved too significant, allowing them to secure a well-deserved podium finish.