Salima Tete, who made her 100th appearance for the Indian Women’s Hockey Team in their opening game of the FIH Hockey Pro League 2023–24 against China on Saturday at the Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar, was congratulated by Hockey India.
Salima, who is renowned for her quick reflexes, debuted for India in the November 2016 Test Matches: Australia against India (W), which took place in Melbourne. Salima has already scored 14 goals and assisted on many more for her teammates.
The Jharkhand-born livewire became an Olympian at the age of 19 when she was a member of the historic team that placed fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her development as a player was greatly aided by her priceless Olympic experience. She was soon named the Women’s Asia Cup 2022 Tournament’s Rising Player of the Tournament, which took place in Muscat and saw the team finish third.
The squad that placed fourth at the FIH Hockey Women’s Junior World Cup 2021 in Potchefstroom, South Africa, was captained by a confident Salima. Salima scored a vital goal in the 3rd/4th place match against New Zealand during the 2022 Commonwealth Games, allowing the team to win the bronze medal and register their first-ever victory over the Kiwis via penalty shootouts.
Salima played a crucial role in the Indian women’s hockey team’s victory in the December 2022 FIH Hockey Women’s Nations Cup Spain 2022. She also competed for the team that placed third at the Hangzhou Asian Games, which took place in October 2023.
Her best performance was at home in the Jharkhand Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Ranchi 2023, where she won Player of the Tournament after tallying five goals in seven games. Apart from her achievements in sports, Salima was named an AHF Athletes Ambassador in March 2023, which allowed her to take the lead in the global advocacy, development, and representation of athletes.
Congratulating Salima Tete on her achievement, Hockey India President Dr Dilip Tirkey said, “I congratulate Salima on completing 100 International Caps for India. Amassing 100 appearances at such a young age is a testament to Salima’s determination and willpower. She has constantly improved throughout the years and we hope to see her continue to set turfs on fire with her scorching speed and dribbling skills. I offer my best wishes to Salima for the upcoming tournaments and her promising career.”