FIH Odisha Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 successfully wraps up

The FIH Odisha Mens Hockey World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar Rourkela successfully wrapped up with Germany taking home the coveted trophy following a thrilling penalty shootout against former champions BelgiumThe hotly contested final match was graced by the presence of Governor of Odisha Ganeshi Lal Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren and Odisha Sports Minister Tusharkanti BeheraAs 44 matches of highoctane action unfolded the response to the event as a whole has been tremendous with fans from all over the world flocking to Odisha to soak in the atmosphere and support their teamsThe tournament was held at two venues the Kalinga Stadium and the radiant Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium built as quick as 15 months The stadium was recently inducted into the Guinness Book of Records for being the largest seated hockey stadium in the worldFor many of us it is a onceinalifetime opportunity to play in front of so many people said Australian captain Eddie Ockenden when asked about the match experience in OdishaThe facilities at both venues have also impressed athletes and fans alike with one athlete quoted as saying The facilities here are topnotch its been an honour to compete on such a worldclass stageBut it wasnt just the hockey that left an impression on fans and the competitors as the tournament also featured a host of cultural experiences fan parks and tourism initiatives within the city and beyond These initiatives created an immersive experience for fans giving them the opportunity to fully engage with the culture of Odisha and IndiaThe cultural activities were a particular highlight with fans from all over the world enjoying the traditional music dance and food of the region and even from other competing nationsMariano Ronconi coach of the Argentina Mens Hockey Team couldnt help but be impressed by the effort that had been made to make the city as welcoming as possibleAlso readInjured Hardik Singh fails to recover ruled out of FIH Mens World CupThe city is amazing the streets are painted and beautifully lit and there is hockey in everything We knew it from before but the city still manages to surprise us every time Mariano saidThe fan parks were also a huge success providing a lively and festive atmosphere for fans to gather watch the matches and support their teams The fan parks were equipped with stateoftheart screens food and beverage options and entertainment for all agesBeyond the fan parks tourism initiatives were also in place to showcase the beauty and rich culture of Odisha and India One fan from Australia Jeremy Craig who took a tour of the temple city said I was blown away by the beauty and history of this place its truly a hidden gem that I never knew existed Im so glad I had the opportunity to experience it as part of the Hockey World CupOne fan from Belgium though heartbroken about his teams loss spoke about his experience The hospitality here has been incredible the city and its culture have truly captured my heart The indigenous culinary experience and the Bharatpur safari were my favourite I will definitely be backThe event has put the state and the country on the global sports map showcasing the worldclass facilities and the rich culture on offer The tournament has been a resounding success not just for the sport of hockey but for the entire nationThe facilities the hospitality and the organisation of the tournament were all praised by fans and athletes alike with many already looking forward to the next edition of the Hockey World Cup in IndiaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever