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Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus shine for South Africa with record partnership South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus recorded the highest opening partnership by a Full Member nation in a women’s T20I match, during its clash against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.Wolvaardt and Luus put together 183 runs as they helped South Africa overhaul a 193-run target with ease.The Proteas duo broke the record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who had combined for 182 runs against South Africa in 2018.While Captain Wolvaardt led from the front with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, registering the joint third-fastest century in women’s T20Is, Luus struck 64 off 42.“We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could,” said Wolvaardt after the game. Highest opening partnerships by a Full Member in women’s T20Is Laura Wolvaardt-Sune Luus (South Africa) – 183 vs India (April 22, 2026) Sophie Devine-Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 182 vs South Africa (June 20, 2018) Shandre Fritz-Trisha Chetty (South Africa) – 170 vs The Netherlands (October 14, 2010) Dane van Niekerk-Lizelle Lee (South Africa) – 163* vs Pakistan (March 23, 2014) Amelia Kerr-Izzy Gaze (New Zealand) – 163 vs Zimbabwe (February 27, 2026) Published on Apr 23, 2026 #Laura #Wolvaardt #Sune #Luus #shine #South #Africa #record #partnership

Laura Wolvaardt, Sune Luus shine for South Africa with record partnership

South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus recorded the highest opening partnership by a Full Member nation in a women’s T20I match, during its clash against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Wolvaardt and Luus put together 183 runs as they helped South Africa overhaul a 193-run target with ease.

The Proteas duo broke the record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who had combined for 182 runs against South Africa in 2018.

While Captain Wolvaardt led from the front with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, registering the joint third-fastest century in women’s T20Is, Luus struck 64 off 42.

“We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could,” said Wolvaardt after the game.

Highest opening partnerships by a Full Member in women’s T20Is

Laura Wolvaardt-Sune Luus (South Africa) – 183 vs India (April 22, 2026)

Sophie Devine-Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 182 vs South Africa (June 20, 2018)

Shandre Fritz-Trisha Chetty (South Africa) – 170 vs The Netherlands (October 14, 2010)

Dane van Niekerk-Lizelle Lee (South Africa) – 163* vs Pakistan (March 23, 2014)

Amelia Kerr-Izzy Gaze (New Zealand) – 163 vs Zimbabwe (February 27, 2026)

Published on Apr 23, 2026

#Laura #Wolvaardt #Sune #Luus #shine #South #Africa #record #partnership

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South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt and Sune Luus recorded the highest opening partnership by a Full Member nation in a women’s T20I match, during its clash against India in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

Wolvaardt and Luus put together 183 runs as they helped South Africa overhaul a 193-run target with ease.

The Proteas duo broke the record held by New Zealand’s Sophie Devine and Suzie Bates, who had combined for 182 runs against South Africa in 2018.

While Captain Wolvaardt led from the front with a blistering 115 off 53 balls, registering the joint third-fastest century in women’s T20Is, Luus struck 64 off 42.

“We knew we had so much power in the dug out so we just had to get as much as we could. And then once we got out of the Powerplay, I just tried to win the game as quickly as I could,” said Wolvaardt after the game.

Highest opening partnerships by a Full Member in women’s T20Is

Laura Wolvaardt-Sune Luus (South Africa) – 183 vs India (April 22, 2026)

Sophie Devine-Suzie Bates (New Zealand) – 182 vs South Africa (June 20, 2018)

Shandre Fritz-Trisha Chetty (South Africa) – 170 vs The Netherlands (October 14, 2010)

Dane van Niekerk-Lizelle Lee (South Africa) – 163* vs Pakistan (March 23, 2014)

Amelia Kerr-Izzy Gaze (New Zealand) – 163 vs Zimbabwe (February 27, 2026)

Published on Apr 23, 2026

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Deadspin | Ildemaro Vargas blasts 2 homers as Diamondbacks defeat White Sox <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28788843.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28788843.jpg" alt="MLB: Chicago White Sox at Arizona Diamondbacks" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 22, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ildemaro Vargas (6) hits a three run home run against the Chicago White Sox in the second inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Ildemaro Vargas hit two homers and drove in a career-high five runs and the Arizona Diamondbacks withstood Munetaka Murakami, who homered in a fifth straight game, to hold off the Chicago White Sox 11-7 in Phoenix on Wednesday.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Murakami leads the American League with 10 homers, eight on the road, and he became the fastest player in White Sox history to reach 10, doing it in 24 games. He broke a tie with Shohei Ohtani to become the only Japanese-born player to homer in five straight games.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Murakami had three hits, and his 451-foot two-run homer off Ryan Thompson in the seventh brought the White Sox within 10-7, but the Diamondbacks added a run on Geraldo Perdomo’s second triple of the game in the last of the inning and Paul Sewald left two on in the ninth.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Nolan Arenado had four hits, including a homer, scored three runs and drove in three for the Diamondbacks, who evened the series and broke a two-game losing streak in which they had given up 21 runs.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Corbin Carroll had three hits and scored twice and Perdomo had three hits and an RBI. Both reached four times.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-6"> <p>Arizona had a season-high 16 hits in support of Eduardo Rodriguez (2-0), who gave up four runs and six hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked three, leaving with an 8-4 lead.</p> </section> <section id="section-7"> <p>Colson Montgomery homered for the fourth consecutive game and Miguel Vargas homered for the third straight for the White Sox, who have 14 homers in their last four games.</p> </section><section id="section-8"> <p>Montgomery homered in four straight games for the second time in his career. He did it from Aug. 22-26 last year.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>Ildemaro Vargas hit a three-run homer in a four-run second and added a two-run shot in the third to give Arizona a 6-3 lead. Arenado’s two-run homer in the sixth pushed the cushion to 10-5.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Ildemaro Vargas extended his season-opening hitting streak to a franchise-record 17 games, and his 20-game hitting streak dating to last season is the longest active streak in the majors.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Anthony Kay (1-1) gave up eight runs and eight hits, including both Vargas homers, in 3 2/3 innings. He struck out one and walked four, and he balked in Carroll with the first run in Arizona’s two-run fourth to make it 8-4.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-12"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Ildemaro #Vargas #blasts #homers #Diamondbacks #defeat #White #Sox

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The Iranian women Trump ‘saved’ from execution are simultaneously real and AI-manipulated<div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">Only the night before, he had posted on Truth Social about the imminent executions of these women, quoting a screenshot that included a collage of eight glamorously backlit, soft-focus portraits. The photos of the women were immediately accused of being AI-generated. “Trump is begging Iranian leaders to not execute 8 AI-generated women. This is the funniest thing I’ve ever seen,” said one viral X post.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">On top of that, almost immediately after Trump’s announcement, Mizan, an Iranian state news agency, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/trump-says-eight-iranian-women-wont-be-executed-iran-disputes-entire-account-2026-04-22/">called the president a liar</a>. “Last night, Donald Trump, citing a completely false news story, called on Iran to overturn the death sentences of eight women.” Mizan said that some of the women had already been released and others were facing prison time but not execution, and furthermore said that Tehran had made no concessions — presumably, the status of the women has not changed.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">The X account for the Iranian embassy in South Africa, perhaps the most relentless shitposter among Iran’s state-affiliated accounts, was quick to pile on by generating its own set of eight women:</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">The collage that Trump posted is, at the very least, AI-modified, Mahsa Alimardani, the associate director of the Technology Threats & Opportunities program at WITNESS, told <em>The Verge</em>. But the women themselves are real. The woman in the top right corner of the collage is <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/woman-iran-sentenced-death-protests-rights-groups/">Bita Hemmati</a>, whose photograph appeared in several news stories in <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/04/15/world-news/iran-to-execute-the-first-woman-over-widespread-anti-regime-demonstrations/">various right-leaning news outlets last week</a>. Hemmati is confirmed to have received a <a href="https://www.en-hrana.org/tehran-revolutionary-court-sentences-four-protest-detainees-to-death/">death sentence</a> issued by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court for “operational action for the hostile government of the United States and hostile groups.”</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">Alimardani named six of the women (Bita Hemmati, Mahboubeh Shabani, Venus Hossein-Nejad, Golnaz Naraghi, Diana Taherabadi, Ghazal Ghalandri), and said that the identities of the final two (said to be Panah Movahedi and Ensieh Nejati) were still unverified. The six verified women participated in protests against the government in January. Aside from Hemmati, none of the other women are reported to have received death sentences.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">It’s not surprising that Trump has a careless disregard for the truth; it’s not surprising, either, for the Iranian regime to fudge the details to suit its own narrative, or to make light of real political prisoners in order to dunk on the United States.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _1xwtict1">The additional wrinkle is that the account mocking Trump for coming to the rescue of “8 AI-generated women” is the very same one that landed <a href="https://www.theverge.com/policy/913587/south-korea-lee-jae-myung-israel">South Korean president Lee Jae-myung</a> in hot water when he quoted a misleading labeled video posted by that account. Israeli officials have accused the account of being “well-known for spreading disinformation.” The case of the sketchy Lee Jae-myung quote-post is a story of mingled truth and misinformation, where the post got facts very wrong, but the video — of Israeli Defense Forces soldiers shoving a limp body off a rooftop in Gaza — was real, documenting an event that possibly implicates Israeli forces in a violation of international law.</p></div><div><p class="duet--article--dangerously-set-cms-markup duet--article--standard-paragraph _1ymtmqpi _17nnmdy1 _17nnmdy0 _17nnmdya _1xwtict1">The case of the eight Iranian protesters also features that same mingling of fact and fiction into a fuzzy distortion that fuels an endless disputation of real human rights violations. Their lives have been reduced to glossy pixels and quote-dunks, the stuff of propaganda and parody. While known liars fight with each other on the internet about who these women are and what will happen to them, they — verifiably six of them, at least — remain real people who exist beyond the Iranian internet blackout.</p></div>#Iranian #women #Trump #saved #execution #simultaneously #real #AImanipulatedPolicy,Politics

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Deadspin | Caitlin Clark scores 23 as Fever handle Sparks for first win May 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22), center Damiris Dantas (12), Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell (12) and forward Cameron Brink (22) battle for a rebound in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images A combined 47 points from Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell helped the Indiana Fever outlast the host Los Angeles Sparks 87-78 on Wednesday night. Mitchell scored 11 of her 23 points in the second quarter, when the Fever pulled away. Clark notched nine of her 24 points in the fourth quarter, holding off a late Sparks rally to claim the win. Each player connected on 9-for-17 shooting from the field, with Clark tallying nine assists. Los Angeles was led by Kelsey Plum’s game-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Dearica Hamby added 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Reserve Cameron Brink added 11 points and five rebounds, while Rae Burrell and Nneka Ogwumike each scored 10 points. The Sparks pulled within 29-26 on a Hamby layup with 6:54 remaining in the second quarter. But the Fever scored the next nine points as part of a 19-8 run to finish the half. Mitchell did not miss a shot in the quarter, draining all three of her 3-point tries as well as a step-back jumper. Sophie Cunningham added five points and Clark tallied four more in the critical run. After leading 48-34 at halftime, the Fever stretched the lead to 60-39 on a Myisha Hines-Allen layup midway through the third period. The Sparks did not challenge until a late 11-3 run pulled them within 83-76 on a short jumper in the lane from Plum with 1:23 remaining. Cunningham added 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. All-Star Aliyah Boston finished with just four points and seven rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles starting guard Ariel Atkins departed the game in the third quarter after suffering a head injury. She finished with two points in 16 minutes. The teams had each lost their season openers over the weekend, with the Fever falling by three points to the visiting Dallas Wings, while the Sparks dropped a 27-point decision at home to the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Caitlin #Clark #scores #Fever #handle #Sparks #winMay 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22), center Damiris Dantas (12), Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell (12) and forward Cameron Brink (22) battle for a rebound in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

A combined 47 points from Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell helped the Indiana Fever outlast the host Los Angeles Sparks 87-78 on Wednesday night.

Mitchell scored 11 of her 23 points in the second quarter, when the Fever pulled away. Clark notched nine of her 24 points in the fourth quarter, holding off a late Sparks rally to claim the win. Each player connected on 9-for-17 shooting from the field, with Clark tallying nine assists.

Los Angeles was led by Kelsey Plum’s game-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Dearica Hamby added 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Reserve Cameron Brink added 11 points and five rebounds, while Rae Burrell and Nneka Ogwumike each scored 10 points.

The Sparks pulled within 29-26 on a Hamby layup with 6:54 remaining in the second quarter. But the Fever scored the next nine points as part of a 19-8 run to finish the half. Mitchell did not miss a shot in the quarter, draining all three of her 3-point tries as well as a step-back jumper. Sophie Cunningham added five points and Clark tallied four more in the critical run.


After leading 48-34 at halftime, the Fever stretched the lead to 60-39 on a Myisha Hines-Allen layup midway through the third period.

The Sparks did not challenge until a late 11-3 run pulled them within 83-76 on a short jumper in the lane from Plum with 1:23 remaining.

Cunningham added 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. All-Star Aliyah Boston finished with just four points and seven rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter.

Los Angeles starting guard Ariel Atkins departed the game in the third quarter after suffering a head injury. She finished with two points in 16 minutes.

The teams had each lost their season openers over the weekend, with the Fever falling by three points to the visiting Dallas Wings, while the Sparks dropped a 27-point decision at home to the defending champion Las Vegas Aces.


–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Caitlin #Clark #scores #Fever #handle #Sparks #win">Deadspin | Caitlin Clark scores 23 as Fever handle Sparks for first win May 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22), center Damiris Dantas (12), Los Angeles Sparks guard Rae Burrell (12) and forward Cameron Brink (22) battle for a rebound in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images A combined 47 points from Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell helped the Indiana Fever outlast the host Los Angeles Sparks 87-78 on Wednesday night. Mitchell scored 11 of her 23 points in the second quarter, when the Fever pulled away. Clark notched nine of her 24 points in the fourth quarter, holding off a late Sparks rally to claim the win. Each player connected on 9-for-17 shooting from the field, with Clark tallying nine assists. Los Angeles was led by Kelsey Plum’s game-high 25 points on 9-for-16 shooting. Dearica Hamby added 16 points on 6-for-8 shooting while grabbing eight rebounds. Reserve Cameron Brink added 11 points and five rebounds, while Rae Burrell and Nneka Ogwumike each scored 10 points. The Sparks pulled within 29-26 on a Hamby layup with 6:54 remaining in the second quarter. But the Fever scored the next nine points as part of a 19-8 run to finish the half. Mitchell did not miss a shot in the quarter, draining all three of her 3-point tries as well as a step-back jumper. Sophie Cunningham added five points and Clark tallied four more in the critical run. After leading 48-34 at halftime, the Fever stretched the lead to 60-39 on a Myisha Hines-Allen layup midway through the third period. The Sparks did not challenge until a late 11-3 run pulled them within 83-76 on a short jumper in the lane from Plum with 1:23 remaining. Cunningham added 12 points and grabbed seven rebounds. All-Star Aliyah Boston finished with just four points and seven rebounds before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles starting guard Ariel Atkins departed the game in the third quarter after suffering a head injury. She finished with two points in 16 minutes. The teams had each lost their season openers over the weekend, with the Fever falling by three points to the visiting Dallas Wings, while the Sparks dropped a 27-point decision at home to the defending champion Las Vegas Aces. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Caitlin #Clark #scores #Fever #handle #Sparks #win

You know it. I know it. We all know it.

Jordan Spieth is chasing the career grand slam yet again this week at the PGA Championship and given that we so recently got to see somebody climb that mountain last year with Rory McIlroy at the Masters (where he doubled down this year)… we want more.

This year marks Spieth’s 10th run at the Career Grand Slam and the passage of time has seemingly made him have a level of peace about the quest.

At the moment Jordan isn’t exactly believed to be seriously in the mix. Consider that FanDuel Sportsbook has him at +5500 to win at Aronimink with players like Min Woo Lee and Chris Gotterup ahead of him. Even Jordan’s buddy Rickie Fowler is listed in front him after last week’s showing at the Truist.

Isn’t the fact that this is a longshot something that makes us want it all the more, though? How many people seriously went into Augusta last year thinking that Rory was about to do it? He may not have been this far down the odds listing, but he was hardly considered a lock.

We could literally be on the precipice of golf history right now. Think about that.

#Jordan #Spieth #incredible #week">Jordan Spieth could do something incredible this week You know it. I know it. We all know it.Jordan Spieth is chasing the career grand slam yet again this week at the PGA Championship and given that we so recently got to see somebody climb that mountain last year with Rory McIlroy at the Masters (where he doubled down this year)… we want more.This year marks Spieth’s 10th run at the Career Grand Slam and the passage of time has seemingly made him have a level of peace about the quest.At the moment Jordan isn’t exactly believed to be seriously in the mix. Consider that FanDuel Sportsbook has him at +5500 to win at Aronimink with players like Min Woo Lee and Chris Gotterup ahead of him. Even Jordan’s buddy Rickie Fowler is listed in front him after last week’s showing at the Truist.Isn’t the fact that this is a longshot something that makes us want it all the more, though? How many people seriously went into Augusta last year thinking that Rory was about to do it? He may not have been this far down the odds listing, but he was hardly considered a lock.We could literally be on the precipice of golf history right now. Think about that. #Jordan #Spieth #incredible #week

India, on Thursday, officially appointed decorated Frenchman Frederic Soyez as the chief coach of the national junior men’s hockey team, replacing two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh.

Sreejesh, a former star goalkeeper, was removed from his role just after 17 months, following the expiry of his contract, after guiding India to a bronze medal finish at last year’s FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai.

In a strongly-worded social media post, Sreejesh vented out his frustration, saying his tenure was brought to an end despite winning five medals in as many tournaments during his stint, but Hockey India argued that the decision was taken considering the long-term vision of building a sustainable high-performance ecosystem aligned with India’s ambitions for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.

One of the most accomplished coaches in European hockey, Soyez brings over three decades of elite coaching experience, including 15 years as an international player for France and over 15 years as a head coach at the highest level.

Soyez, who enjoyed an illustrious playing career with France from 1995 to 2010, earning 196 international caps and scoring an impressive 195 goals for the team, coached the national men’s hockey teams of both France and Spain.

He has coaching experience at three Olympic Games, having guided Spain at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics before leading France at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

During his tenure with Spain, he guided the team to a silver medal at the 2019 European Championships, while also steering it to quarterfinal finishes at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.

A proven developer of young talent, Soyez coached France to a historic silver medal at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in Delhi in 2013 and most recently guided the French U-18 men’s team to a silver medal at the 2025 European Championships.

He additionally served as the High-Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024, overseeing the country’s broader high-performance and athlete development structure.

His coaching resume also includes participation in two FIH Men’s Hockey World Cups (2018, 2023) and six European Championships (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), underlining his extensive experience at the elite international level.

At the domestic level, Soyez guided Lille MHC to French Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles in 2012, along with EuroHockey Trophy Indoor and Outdoor titles in the same year.

Widely regarded for his expertise in high-performance systems, athlete development, and penalty corner strategy, Soyez has consistently built teams with strong tactical structure and competitive consistency across all levels.

Hockey India’s long-term strategy also places significant emphasis on developing Indian coaches alongside international experts.

To ensure knowledge transfer and continuity, Indian coaches have been integrated across the senior, junior, and sub-junior national camps, with designated Indian coaches working closely alongside the respective head coaches at every level.

Welcoming Soyez to Indian hockey, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “We warmly welcome Frederic Soyez to the Hockey India family. Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials, having coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, and European Championships, while also successfully developing young talent and high-performance systems.

“We believe his experience and skill set will greatly benefit Indian hockey as we continue to work towards a bigger long-term vision for the 2036 Olympics. Our focus is not only on immediate results but also on building a deep talent pool and a coaching structure that remains aligned from sub-junior to senior level. By integrating Indian coaches, alongside international experts in every national camp across all levels, we are ensuring continuity in coaching philosophy, player development, and tactical understanding.

“This collaborative approach will also play a vital role in strengthening the capabilities of Indian coaches and creating a more self-sustaining high-performance ecosystem for the future,” he added.

Published on May 14, 2026

#Frederic #Soyez #replaces #Sreejesh #coach #Indian #junior #mens #hockey #team">Frederic Soyez replaces PR Sreejesh as coach of Indian junior men’s hockey team India, on Thursday, officially appointed decorated Frenchman Frederic Soyez as the chief coach of the national junior men’s hockey team, replacing two-time Olympic medallist PR Sreejesh.Sreejesh, a former star goalkeeper, was removed from his role just after 17 months, following the expiry of his contract, after guiding India to a bronze medal finish at last year’s FIH Junior World Cup in Chennai and Madurai.In a strongly-worded social media post, Sreejesh vented out his frustration, saying his tenure was brought to an end despite winning five medals in as many tournaments during his stint, but Hockey India argued that the decision was taken considering the long-term vision of building a sustainable high-performance ecosystem aligned with India’s ambitions for hosting the 2036 Olympic Games.One of the most accomplished coaches in European hockey, Soyez brings over three decades of elite coaching experience, including 15 years as an international player for France and over 15 years as a head coach at the highest level.Soyez, who enjoyed an illustrious playing career with France from 1995 to 2010, earning 196 international caps and scoring an impressive 195 goals for the team, coached the national men’s hockey teams of both France and Spain.He has coaching experience at three Olympic Games, having guided Spain at the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Olympics before leading France at the Paris 2024 Olympics.During his tenure with Spain, he guided the team to a silver medal at the 2019 European Championships, while also steering it to quarterfinal finishes at the Rio and Tokyo Olympics.A proven developer of young talent, Soyez coached France to a historic silver medal at the FIH Junior Men’s World Cup in Delhi in 2013 and most recently guided the French U-18 men’s team to a silver medal at the 2025 European Championships.He additionally served as the High-Performance Director of the French Hockey Federation from 2021 to 2024, overseeing the country’s broader high-performance and athlete development structure.His coaching resume also includes participation in two FIH Men’s Hockey World Cups (2018, 2023) and six European Championships (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023), underlining his extensive experience at the elite international level.At the domestic level, Soyez guided Lille MHC to French Indoor and Outdoor Championship titles in 2012, along with EuroHockey Trophy Indoor and Outdoor titles in the same year.Widely regarded for his expertise in high-performance systems, athlete development, and penalty corner strategy, Soyez has consistently built teams with strong tactical structure and competitive consistency across all levels.Hockey India’s long-term strategy also places significant emphasis on developing Indian coaches alongside international experts.To ensure knowledge transfer and continuity, Indian coaches have been integrated across the senior, junior, and sub-junior national camps, with designated Indian coaches working closely alongside the respective head coaches at every level.Welcoming Soyez to Indian hockey, Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey said, “We warmly welcome Frederic Soyez to the Hockey India family. Frederic comes with outstanding international credentials, having coached at multiple Olympic Games, World Cups, and European Championships, while also successfully developing young talent and high-performance systems.“We believe his experience and skill set will greatly benefit Indian hockey as we continue to work towards a bigger long-term vision for the 2036 Olympics. Our focus is not only on immediate results but also on building a deep talent pool and a coaching structure that remains aligned from sub-junior to senior level. By integrating Indian coaches, alongside international experts in every national camp across all levels, we are ensuring continuity in coaching philosophy, player development, and tactical understanding.“This collaborative approach will also play a vital role in strengthening the capabilities of Indian coaches and creating a more self-sustaining high-performance ecosystem for the future,” he added.Published on May 14, 2026 #Frederic #Soyez #replaces #Sreejesh #coach #Indian #junior #mens #hockey #team

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