They may not be among the favourites at the competition but the Italian women’s hockey team made sure they started their campaign at the Olympic Qualifiers on an auspicious note. The team visited the famous Jagannath Temple at Ranchi Hill on the eve of the tournament on January 12 and even performed the traditional prayers before indulging in some local shopping.
The Italians, ranked 19 in the world and clubbed with host India besides New Zealand and USA in Pool B, have never been to the Olympics so far. The lack of experience can be gauged from the fact that captain Federica Carta, with 57 matches, is the most capped player in the side.
