In 2014 Asian Games Hockey Competition, the game will be played in a new format. The game will be played in four quarters of 15 minutes each instead of the regular two halves. Now this format will be interesting as each team will get the opportunity to regroup them-selves with new strategy.
When we think of Asian Games Hockey, we always dream that Indian Hockey team will win gold. Such is the high expectation that the Indians have on Hockey Team. And why not? We are the powerhouse of hockey. Till 1960s, India was unbeatable in hockey. Pakistan got the better of India on few occasions, but India is still one of the strongest nations in this sport.
Coming back to Asian Games, India has made a podium finish 13 times out of 14 Asian Games Hockey Competitions. But the yellow medal was won only twice. Let us get back to the old days and recollect the memories of Indian Hockey in Asian Games.
In 1958 Asian Games at Tokyo, Hockey was first introduced in the games with 5 nations participating. The Tournament was played in League Format. India drew with arch rivals Pakistan, but thrashed Japan, Malaysia and South Korea. India were favourites to win the Gold Medal as they were the Olympic Champions, but with better goal difference Pakistan took the Gold Medal and India had to settle with Silver Medal.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1958
Group Stage
India
Japan
Won
8-0
1958
Group Stage
India
South Korea
Won
2-1
1958
Group Stage
India
Malaya
Won
6-0
1958
Group Stage
India
Pakistan
Draw
0-0
In 1962 Asian Games at Jakarta, 9 teams participated in hockey competition. India was in Group A along with Malaya, Hong Kong, South Korea.
As expected India qualified for semifinals convincingly and defeated Japan in semifinal. However, India lost to Olympic Champions Pakistan in Final and again settled for Silver Medal.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1962
Group Stage
India
Malaya
Won
3-0
1962
Group Stage
India
South Korea
Won
5-0
1962
Group Stage
India
Hong Kong
Won
4-0
1962
Semifinals
India
Japan
Won
7-0
1962
Finals
India
Pakistan
Lost
0-2
In 1966 Bangkok Asian Games, 8 teams participated. India was in Group B along with Malaysia, South Korea and Ceylon. India as expected went into the knockout stage by winning all their matches. In semifinal, India defeated Japan 3-0.
As expected the final was between India and Pakistan. Olympic Champions India finally won the Gold Medal by beating Pakistan 1-0.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1966
Group Stage
India
Malaysia
Won
1-0
1966
Group Stage
India
South Korea
Won
1-0
1966
Group Stage
India
Ceylon
Won
3-0
1966
Semifinals
India
Japan
Won
3-0
1966
Finals
India
Pakistan
Won
1-0
In 1970 Asian Games at Bangkok 8 teams participated in Hockey event. The final was played between India and Pakistan and once again Pakistan finished with Gold Medal.
In 1974 Asian Games at Teheran, the hockey competition was played with 6 nations and in league Format. India drew with Pakistan and defeated Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka and Iran. Since both India and Pakistan was tied on points, a play-off was played to decide the gold medal winner. In the play-off, India lost to Pakistan and thus settled for yet another Silver Medal.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1974
League
India
Japan
Won
3-0
1974
League
India
Iran
Won
12-0
1974
League
India
Sri Lanka
Won
7-0
1974
League
India
Malaysia
Won
2-0
1974
League
India
Pakistan
Draw
1-1
1974
Playoff
India
Pakistan
Lost
0-2
In 1978 Asian Games at Bangkok, 8 teams participated in Hockey event. However, the story was same as India lost to Pakistan and settled for Silver Medal.
In 1982 Asian Games was hosted by New Delhi with 8 teams participating at Hockey Event. Expectation was high as India was playing in front of home crowd, but the story was different in final as India lost to Pakistan conceding Seven Goals.
In 1986 Asian Games at Seoul, 9 teams participated in hockey competition. India was placed in Group A along with South Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand.
India drew their opening game with South Korea but won the rest matches in Group A. however, India had to play Pakistan in semifinal as they finished second in other group behind Malaysia. In the semifinal despite showing much better performance, India lost to arch rivals Pakistan by 1-3 in extra time. Finally India won Bronze medal defeating Malaysia 4-1 in third place playoff.
First time in the history of Asian Games hockey, the world missed out an Indo-Pak dual in Final.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1986
Group Stage
India
South Korea
Draw
1-1
1986
Group Stage
India
Japan
Won
3-1
1986
Group Stage
India
Thailand
Won
11-0
1986
Group Stage
India
Hong Kong
Won
10-0
1986
Semifinal
India
Pakistan
Lost
1-3
1986
Third Place Playoff
India
Malaysia
won
4-1
In 1990 Beijing Asian Games, 7 nations participated in Hockey event. However, this time the story was slightly different as India lost to Pakistan and settled for yet another Silver Medal.
In 1994 Asian Games at Hiroshima, 9 nations participated. India was in Group B along with South Korea, China and Bangladesh. India moved to semifinal unbeaten. In semifinal India defeated hosts Japan by a solitary goal. This time India played South Korea in final as they defeated Pakistan in Shoot out in Semifinal. However, story was same for India as they lost by 2-3 in final against the Koreans.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1994
Group Stage
India
South Korea
Won
3-1
1994
Group Stage
India
China
Won
3-0
1994
Group Stage
India
Bangladesh
Won
1-0
1994
Semifinal
India
Japan
Won
1-0
1994
Final
India
South Korea
Lost
2-3
In 1998 Asian Games at Bangkok, 10 nations participated which was the highest participation till date in hockey competition. India started with a bang as they defeated Singapore, Bangladesh, China and South Korea in group stage. In the semifinals, India defeated Japan 3-1. In the final, India again faced South Korea. In the regulation time the match finished at 1-1. However in penalty strokes, India won by 5-3. Goalkeeper Ashish Ballal was the hero of the final, saving two penalty strokes. India won its first Asian Games hockey gold in 32 years. None of the 16 players in the Indian team was even born when India won the Asian Games hockey gold for the first time in 1966. It was no doubt a huge day for India as earlier in the year India finished a disappointing 9th place in World Cup Hockey.
Year
Stage
India
Against
Result
Scoreline
1998
Group Stage
India
Singapore
Won
9-0
1998
Group Stage
India
Bangladesh
Won
7-0
1998
Group Stage
India
China
Won
2-1
1998
Group Stage
India
South Korea
Won
2-1
1998
Semifinal
India
Japan
Won
3-1
1998
Final
India
South Korea
Won
1-1, 5-3
In 2002 Asian Games, at Busan, India once again had to settle with Silver as India lost to South Korea. In 2006 Asian Games at Doha, India showed their worst ever performance as they finished a disappointing 5th Place. In 2010 Asian Games India won their Second Bronze Medal.
Women’s Hockey:
Women’s hockey was included in Asian Games from 1982. In the inaugural event, India won the Gold Medal. However after 1982, India has made the final only once in 1998 when they lost to South Korea. Unlike Men’s team, Women’s team had qualified for the semifinals every time. India has also won 2 Bronze Medals in 1986 and 2006.
ASIAN GAMES – HOCKEY MEN
SL.NO
YEAR
VENUE
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
1
1958
TOKYO
PAKISTAN
INDIA
SOUTH KOREA
2
1962
JAKARTA
PAKISTAN
INDIA
MALAYSIA
3
1966
BANGKOK
INDIA
PAKISTAN
JAPAN
4
1970
BANGKOK
PAKISTAN
INDIA
JAPAN
5
1974
TEHERAN
PAKISTAN
INDIA
MALAYSIA
6
1978
BANGKOK
PAKISTAN
INDIA
MALAYSIA
7
1982
NEW DELHI
PAKISTAN
INDIA
MALAYSIA
8
1986
SEOUL
SOUTH KOREA
PAKISTAN
INDIA
9
1990
BEIJING
PAKISTAN
INDIA
MALAYSIA
10
1994
HIROSHIMA
SOUTH KOREA
INDIA
PAKISTAN
11
1998
BANGKOK
INDIA
SOUTH KOREA
PAKISTAN
12
2002
BUSAN
SOUTH KOREA
INDIA
MALAYSIA
13
2006
DOHA
SOUTH KOREA
CHINA
PAKISTAN
14
2010
GUANGZHOU
PAKISTAN
MALAYSIA
INDIA
ASIAN GAMES – HOCKEY WOMEN
SL.NO
YEAR
VENUE
GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
1
1982
NEW DELHI
INDIA
SOUTH KOREA
MALAYSIA
2
1986
SEOUL
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
INDIA
3
1990
BEIJING
SOUTH KOREA
CHINA
JAPAN
4
1994
HIROSHIMA
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
CHINA
5
1998
BANGKOK
SOUTH KOREA
INDIA
CHINA
6
2002
BUSAN
CHINA
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
7
2006
DOHA
CHINA
JAPAN
INDIA
8
2010
GUANGZHOU
CHINA
SOUTH KOREA
JAPAN
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