Irish Hockey has pulled off a major coup winning the right to stage one of the key qualifying tournaments for the Rio Olympic Games.
The Women’s League World 2 tournament will take place here between March 14th and 22nd, 2015.
8 nations hoping to secure one of the 12 places available at the Olympic Games will head for Dublin in a repeat of what the men’s team hosted in advance of London 2012.
On that occasion the men came within seconds of a place representing Ireland at the games. The Women’s team has now been granted a major boost in its efforts to go one better.
The tournament will be played in two pools of four followed by cross over matches to produce the final placings. The top two teams will qualify from each of the three World League 2 Tournaments, being hosted in Ireland, India & Uruguay, with one final place being awarded to the third highest ranked country from across the three tournaments giving seven places in total for this level of competing nation.
“We are delight to have secured the World League for the women’s team,” said Mike Heskin, CEO of Irish Hockey.
“I hope we can give the women’s team the same wonderful support that was delivered to the Men in the 2012 Olympic Qualifier.”
“An international 8 team tournament is the type of competition we always hope to attract to Ireland. As a small country it is difficult to compete with the bigger nations is securing a major international tournament so we are delighted that the World body has granted Ireland this event.”
“It is our intention to deliver a tournament that Ireland can be proud off.”
