Rajgir (Bihar) [India], April 14 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Hockey captain Ketan Kushwaha expressed delight after the team emerged as champions of the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Men’s National Championship 2026 in Rajgir, delivering a dominant performance to defeat Hockey Madhya Pradesh 5-2 in the final — a result that underscored the province’s growing stature as a powerhouse of grassroots hockey development in the country.Ketan Kushwaha led from the front, setting the tone for the victory by scoring the opening goal just four minutes into the match. Reflecting on the triumph, Ketan Kushwaha said that his early goal boosted confidence and helped the team maintain momentum, with their strong teamwork ensuring sustained pressure and ultimately the championship win, according to a release.”Scoring that early goal gave me a strong feeling that we could keep the momentum going and add more to our score. We worked seamlessly as a unit to maintain that pressure and eventually secure the championship,” he said.”The support we shared in the dressing room was incredible. We were constantly talking to one another, identifying our mistakes, and discussing how to rectify them on the pitch. That open communication and mutual belief were exactly what pushed us forward to win the Final,” he added.Uttar Pradesh Hockey President RP Singh also hailed the victory as a testament to the state’s sustained investment in nurturing young talent from the ground up.”Winning the 16th Hockey India Sub Junior Men’s National Championship is a moment of immense pride, not just for Uttar Pradesh Hockey but for every young boy who has spent countless hours on the field working toward this dream. When I look back at our journey — from our bronze in 2014 to where we stand today — it reflects the systematic, patient work that goes into building a genuine hockey culture at the grassroots level,” RP Singh said.”This gold is not an accident. It is the fruit of a long-term vision: identifying and nurturing young players early, giving them structured coaching, proper facilities, and a competitive environment that sharpens them year after year. Each year, the boys who come from Uttar Pradesh in these premier domestic competitions, arrive more prepared, more confident, and more tactically aware than the year before. The credit belongs to dedicated coaches, to Rajnish Mishra for his relentless work in nurturing this environment, and most importantly to the players themselves, who have represented Uttar Pradesh with character and discipline,” he added.He also hailed Upender Chauhan, who was the coach of UP Hockey Team that recently clinched Sub Junior Men National Championship, for his dedication.”We are equally committed to growing our women’s and senior programmes and actively working to replicate this kind of structured development across those streams as well. But today, we celebrate these young men — and we do so knowing that this is not a peak, it is a milestone on a much longer journey,” Singh concluded.The championship triumph is the latest chapter in a remarkable run of form for Uttar Pradesh Hockey. Since 2021, the state has amassed an impressive 13 medals across national championships — including five gold medals — spanning their sub junior men, junior men, and senior men categories, in addition to medals in the women’s sub junior and junior competitions.Uttar Pradesh Hockey’s clinical 5-2 victory in the final caps off a tournament where they remained unbeaten, further establishing their dominance in the sub-junior circuit and reaffirming the vision of a state that is building its hockey legacy — one generation at a time. (ANI)(This content is sourced from a syndicated feed and is published as received. The Tribune assumes no responsibility or liability for its accuracy, completeness, or content.)