Jude Menezes joins hockey probables

Bangalore, MAY 9: The Indian Hockey Federation on Sunday added 17 more players to the list of probables for the 2000 Sydney Olympics taking the total number to 44. The IHF had announced 27 players after the preliminary camp at Chandigarh on Friday. Today, after an hour-long selection trials at the Akkithimmanahalli Stadium, the president of the IHF, KPS Gill, announced the rest of the players from the 26 probables who attended the camp at Bangalore under the training of Ramesh Parameswaran and MR Negi. Mumbai goalkeeper Jude Menezes joins the probables.

These 44 players would train under the coaching team headed by the newly appointed Col Harcharan Singh at the Sports Authority of India South Centre in Bangalore from May 17 to June 6. The IHF had scheduled the camp to be conducted at Chandigarh. 8220;But keeping in mind the pleasant weather in Bangalore, we decided the players would be benefitted by the conditions,8221; Gill said.

The players would be further pruned to 18 for a tour of Europe on May 25. Therest of the players would continue to train under a coach to be named on the same day for a tour of South Africa, Gill added.

Gill also announced that Pune, under the auspices of Maharashtra Hockey Association, would play host to the Junior National championships from June 11-25.

The probables selected at Bangalore

Goalkeepers: Jude Menezes Mumbai, BC Poonacha Customs, G Natarajan TN, Muralikrishna Hyd, AP Girish Tatas. Defenders: Dinesh Nayak TN, Cheops D8217;Costa. Halfbacks: Radhakrishnan TN, Bimal Lakra Kar, Thirumalvalavan TN, Jagan Senthil TN, Mohammed Riaz IA, L Prabhakar TN, Suresh Pereira Customs, Cyprian Aind Ser, Ravinder Singh IA, Rajesh Chauhan AI.