Japan hockey

FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers: Soon after qualifying for the Paris Olympic Games by beating hosts India for the last qualifying spot available in Ranchi, Japan coach Jude Menezes said they will aim for a podium finish in the French capital.

Japan defeated India in the third-place match in the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers here on Friday to qualify for the sixth consecutive Olympic Games since making their debut in the 2004 edition in Athens.

Asked what he makes of the fact that Japan have qualified for the Olympics five times but could not climb onto the podium even once, Menezes said they would take that as a target for this team.