Savita Punia and PR Sreejesh are best FIH Goalkeepers for 2021-22 season

10/06/2022

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) chose Savita Punia and PR Sreejesh of India as the 2021–22 FIH Goalkeepers of the Year on Wednesday. Savita Punia and PR Sreejesh have both received the honour for the past two years, easily defeating the other goalkeepers in contention hands down.

In the end, Savita Punia earned 37.6 points, easily defeating Belen Succi of Argentina by more than 10 points. At the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the Indian hockey team won bronze thanks in large part to the custodian, who succeeded Rani Rampal as captain. In the bronze-medal match against New Zealand, Savita Punia was a key player in India's first women's CWG medal in 16 years.

Savita also contributed to the team's third-place finish in the women's FIH Pro League 2021–22 by making 57 saves in the 14 games she participated in during India's inaugural season.

Her performance at the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup continued to improve as she made several outstanding saves to help India hold eventual gold medalists England to a draw during the Pool stages. With seven saves in the cross-over game versus Spain, Savita Punia also played really well.

Savita is currently just the third athlete since the award's establishment in 2014 to have won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year (women) in consecutive years. “The big news came on the auspicious day,” PR Sreejesh said on his Twitter page. “Happy Dussehra (Vijayadashami) to all. Thank you for all your love and support.”

Sreejesh is currently the third goalie to get the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award twice. David Harte (Ireland), who won the prize in 2015 and 2016, and Vincent Vanasch (Belgium), who won it thrice, from 2017 to 2019, accomplished a comparable accomplishments in the past. With 39.9 points, PR Sreejesh outperformed Belgian Loic Von Doren, who finished in second place, by 13 points.

Mumtaz Khan, a young man, was previously recognised as the FIH Rising Star of the Year 2021–2022.