New Delhi [India], March 19 (ANI): Former Indian Women's Hockey Team captain and seasoned goalkeeper Savita Punia was honoured with the prestigious Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Women) and the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year at the Hockey India 7th Annual Awards 2024, held in New Delhi last week.

The accolades mark another milestone in her illustrious career, but she sees these awards as recognition of the people in her life who have made this possible.

Speaking on winning the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year for the third time, Savita said, as quoted by the Hockey India press release, 'It feels very good. There have been so many strong performances this year that I was not expecting to win. All athletes like to be recognized for their efforts, and I am grateful for the award.'

While receiving the honour, Savita credited her team for their support. 'Within the team, we all support each other and root for each other's success. None of us can achieve anything without the support of the team, so without them, this would not be possible,' the goalkeeper said.

Savita was unable to attend the awards in person this year. She tuned in from Toronto, Canada, and watched the proceedings live with her in-laws. She dedicated the award to them, acknowledging their encouragement.

'My husband and his family have been so supportive of hockey. A lot of athletes feel pressure to stop playing once they are married, but they have encouraged and enabled me to keep giving my best for the Indian team. I think I am fortunate to have their support,' the 34-year-old player said.

Reflecting on the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year, Savita highlighted the dedication required to excel in her role.

'A lot of hard work goes on behind the scenes. Behind every stop, there are hours of training on footwork, agility, reflexes, and positioning. The coaches have worked very hard as well to help with my game,' she added.

The past year has been particularly significant for Savita, with one of the highlights being the Hero Hockey India League, where she led Soorma Hockey Club. 'Hockey India fulfilled their promise of hosting the Hero Hockey India League for women, and we are all so grateful. We truly enjoyed the tournament, and it helped us improve our individual skill sets as well.'

Savita's awards also came with substantial cash prizes--INR 25,00,000 for the Hockey India Balbir Singh Sr. Award for Player of the Year (Women) and INR 5,00,000 for the Hockey India Baljit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year. She underscored the importance of these rewards, saying, 'In the early years, we could not believe that we could receive such huge amounts of money. Yes, it is about recognition, but it also empowers us to look after our family and loved ones and do things for them. I don't think there are many sports in India where women have these kinds of opportunities.'

Looking ahead, Savita's focus is on next year's World Cup and the upcoming round of the FIH Women's Pro League.

'When the country does so much to recognise and reward us, we owe it to them and the country to give our best. There is a sense of responsibility that comes with the awards,' the player stated.

She further reflected on India's recent performances. 'I think we had some strong performances in the recent round of the FIH Women's Pro League in Bhubaneswar. Defeating the Netherlands in a shootout was a big win for us, and I consider it my best performance of the year. So hopefully, we can do even better going forward,' Savita concluded. (ANI)