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Christopher Ruhr (Germany)
Since he first wowed the fans with his speed and skill at the Junior Hockey World Cup in 2013, Germany’s Christopher Ruhr has not looked back. He was an integral part of the German team that took silver in last year’s EuroHockey Championship and was also named Man of the Match in the final of the Argentina Hockey World League Semi-Final in Buenos Aires, where Germany beat Argentina 4-1. Ruhr was also joint top scorer at that event.
Blake Govers (Australia)
Following in his big brother’s footsteps, Blake Govers is fast becoming a Kookaburra scoring sensation. He was named Best Young Player at the FINTRO Hockey World League Semi-Final in Antwerp, Belgium and was also top scorer at the same event – and that with only three previous senior international caps to his name. He now has 17 caps and 16 goals.
Akashdeep Singh (India)
Akashdeep Singh is one of a number of players bringing a new level of excitement to the India squad in the run-up to the Rio Olympics. The 22-year-old striker is already making a name for himself as a consistently hard-working and skilful striker and his performance in India’s bronze medal match against the Netherlands in the Hero Hockey World League Final in Raipur, India won him even more fans. The fact that he attracted the highest bid for an Indian player in the recent Coal India Hockey India League auction demonstrates just how valued this young player is.
Shane O’Donoghue (Ireland)
Shane O’Donoghue was voted Best Player at the Hockey World League Round Two competition in San Diego. That must seem like a lifetime away for the young player, who is now busy training and preparing for Ireland’s biggest ever challenge – the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. O’Donoghue was part of the squad that finished in bronze medal position at the EuroHockey Championship 2015 in London, the first major medal that Ireland has won so far.
Sukhi Panesar (Canada)
Sukhi Panesar is an old head on young shoulders. Only 21, he made his debut for Canada in 2010 and has played more than 50 senior internationals for his country. Panesar was part of the Canada team that had a fabulous 2015. They emerged from Hockey World League Round Two in third place but then defied the odds when they qualified for the Olympics by virtue of a fourth place finish in Argentina Hockey World League Semi-Final in Buenos Aires. This meant Panesar and his team mates then played in the Hero Hockey World League Final in Raipur, India, where the team played against the top-ranked sides in the world. The season was topped off with a silver medal in the Pan-Am Games, where they lost out narrowly to Argentina in the final.
