FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers: 'Huge disappointment', Netizens react as India women's team fail to secure Paris berth

The India women’s hockey team on Friday failed to secure qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics following a 1-0 defeat to Japan in the bronze medal playoff game of the FIH Olympic Qualifiers in Ranchi. It was a goal from Kana Urata in the sixth minute of the contest that confirmed Japan’s ticket to France this summer. That meant Japan qualified for the Olympics along with Germany and USA from the Qualifiers competition, but for India, it ended in a heartbreak. India had begun their FIH Olympic Qualifiers campaign with a 0-1 loss to USA, but bounced back to New Zealand and Italy 3-1 and 5-1 respectively. On Thursday, however, India went down to Germany in the semi-finals in a penalty shootout, with the shootouts ending in a 4-3 scoreline in favour of the Germans. The match against Japan had provided the India women’s team the final chance to qualify for the Olympics. Here’s how the netizens reacted to India’s loss:

Congrats 🇯🇵 for qualifying for Paris 2024. They defended like their lives depended on it.

🇮🇳 women did everything…but score. We were just not clinical with our PCs & not composed with our chances.

Huge disappointment that we do not qualify for our 3rd consecutive Olympics

— Viren Rasquinha (@virenrasquinha) January 19, 2024

Heartbroken! From the fairytale semifinal finish at Tokyo to missing out on a spot for Paris… they came so close so many times… just couldn’t get over the line. This would be a tough one to take for the Indian women’s hockey team.#FIHOlympicQualifiers

— Mrinal Asija (@mrinaaal) January 19, 2024

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crushing blow this.
after their brilliant run at Tokyo, the Indian women's hockey team won't be in Paris https://t.co/1tVf4ozLA9

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) January 19, 2024

Disappointing as India failed to qualify for the Paris Olympics 🥺💔 pic.twitter.com/Tgri2qIAAT

— Anirban Chakraborty(アニルバン) (@anirban_speaks) January 19, 2024

Indian women's hockey team fails to qualify for Paris Olympics. #Paris2024 #OlympicQualifiers 🏑

— Yashodhan Nakhare (@yashnakhare) January 19, 2024

Japan held on to qualify for the Olympics! No Paris Olympics for the Indian women. Astonishingly horrible result considering we finished 4th in Tokyo.
Very disappointing

— Saransh Gehlot (@saransh2703) January 19, 2024