Karnataka boys and Haryana girls emerged champions in the 35th Junior (under-20) National Hockey Championships, organised by the Pune District Hockey Association, under the auspices of the Indian Hockey Federation.
The lads from Karnataka again gave a good account of themselves to beat Punjab 2-0, at the floodlit Major Dhyanchand ground, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Nehrunagar, on Wednesday evening.
Earlier, the Haryana girls proved too strong for Chandigarh, winning 5-0, to complete a hat-trick of triumphs in the Junior Nationals.
They had earlier won the National title in 2006 (Jabalpur) and 2007 (Gwalior). The tournament was not held the next two years.
Earlier, in the third place matches, Punjab girls, after trailing 2-0 at the end of the first-half, staged a great fightback in the second to overcome Uttar Pradesh 3-2.
The Haryana boys, powered by Naveen Sagwan's fine hat-trick, tamed SAIL (Steel Authority of India Limited) from Orissa 4-1 to clinch third place.
Results
Girls' 3rd place: Punjab 3 (Ramandeep 42nd minute, 46th, Shikka Bisht 71st) bt Utttar Pradesh 2 (Kavita 22nd, 29th)
Final: Haryana 5 (Navjot Kaur 19th, 68, Raman Kaur 25th, 47th, Meenakshi Saini 49th) bt Chandigarh 0.
Boys' 3rd place: Haryana 4 (Naveen Sangwan 2nd, 5th, 15th, Dharmendra Bhagwan 68th) bt SAIL 1 (Aijub Ekka 13th).
Final: Karnataka (Nikkin Thimmaiah C A 22nd, 26th) bt Punjab 0.
Special awards:
Girls - Best goalkeeper: Savita (Haryana)
Best defender: Nidhi Tripathi (UP)
Best midfielder: Etwari Mundu (Jharkhand)
Best forward: Shivani (Chandigarh)
Player of the tournament: Raman Kaur (Haryana)
Boys - Best goalkeeper: Ankit Gulia (Haryana)
Best defender: Deepak Kullu (SAIL)
Best midfielder: Mohd Imran (UP)
Best forward: Akashdeep Singh (Punjab)
Player of the tournament: Nikkin Thimmaiah (Karnataka).
