New Delhi: Indian women’s team captain Rani Rampal became the first-ever hockey player world-wide Thursday to win the prestigious ‘World Games Athlete of the Year’ award. The World Games Federation announced the winner Thursday after 20 days of polling by sports fans world-wide.
“Indian hockey superstar Rani is the ‘World Games Athlete of the Year 2019!’ Huge congratulations!,” the body said in a statement.
“With an impressive number of votes, 199,477, Rani is the clear winner of the ‘Athlete of the Year’ race, where sports fans all over the world have voted for their favourite during 20 days of polling in January. All in all, over 705,610 votes were cast during the poll,” it added.
Last year, India won the FIH Series Finals, and Rani was named ‘Player of the Tournament’. Under Rani’s leadership, the Indian women’s team qualified for just the third Olympic Games in its history.
“I dedicate this award to the entire hockey fraternity, my team and my country. This success has only become possible with the love and support from hockey lovers, fans, my team, coaches, Hockey India, my government, friends from the film industry, fellow sportspersons and my countrymen who have continuously voted for me,” said Rani, who was recently named among the Padma Shri awardees.
“Special thanks to FIH for nominating me for this prestigious award. Thank you to The World Games Federation for this recognition,” added Rani.
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) also congratulated Rani on being named for the award.
“Congratulations @imranirampal for becoming the first ever Hockey athlete to win the prestigious @TheWorld Games Athlete of the Year award!” the FIH, who nominated Rani for the award, said in its twitter handle.
“On behalf of FIH and the global hockey community, I would like to extend our warmest congratulations to Rani for having been voted ‘The World Games Athlete of the Year 2019’. This is an acknowledgement of her outstanding performances – together with her teammates – and and her dedication to hockey and her leadership,” FIH CEO Thierry Weil said.
Twenty five athletes were been nominated for this award from their respective sports by their international federations. The FIH recommended Rani’s name for her outstanding performances and her ability to lead by example.
Second in the race with over 92,000 votes was Karate star Stanislav Horuna of Ukraine and Canadian powerlifting world champion Rhaea Stinn.
PTI