THE annual National Indoor Hockey Championships will return to the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with a new face of Bounty Supermarkets this year. The supermarket chain has been a keen supporter of the development of young people and the community and has extended its efforts into hockey for the first time as an extension of these efforts.

The competition commenced yesterday at 17:00hrs and features four divisions – Men’s First Division, Men’s Second Division, Ladies and Veterans (Over-35).

In the competitive men’s division, the PEPSI Hikers, the most successful team in this division, will look to avenge their upset during the recent Lucozade Indoor Championships. The experienced national captain Robert France leads this line-up with the support of top calibre midfielder Jamarj Assanah, who has been one of the country’s top players over the past five years.

Old Fort bring to the tournament their tremendous pace and skill and a youthful enthusiasm primarily from their strong junior contingent, who have stepped up to the senior ranks.

Old Fort recently won the Sunshine Snacks Under-20 indoor championships and the core of the team will now be joined by veterans Chris Low and Aderemi Simon to strengthen them for senior competition.

GCC’s all-round stalwart, Kareem McKenzie, and the skilful Sargeant brothers, Marc and Meshach, form the core of their team while the Garnett clan, along with the skilful midfielder Shakeem Fausette, round out the table for Saints.

The ladies’ competition finds a dominant GBTI GCC Tigers as comfortable favourites having not lost in this competition since 2018. Captain Gabriella Xavier and Makeda Harding will have good support from Madison Fernandes, Sarah Klautky and Kirsten Gomes for the Tigers powerful line-up who will be a well-balanced and difficult team to beat.

The Woodpecker Hikers, having been the last team to defeat the Tigers, will certainly be looking to repeat this feat and have been improving the quality of their game in recent times. Maria Munroe and Marisha Fernandes form the cornerstone of this challenge.

Saints boast the presence of recent junior MVP Claysa Bobb along with the feisty Tekeisha Deleon. This group brings to the game a structured approach – instilled by national coach Robert Fernandes – that always makes them a threat.

Old Fort’s Julia Gouveia and Carolyne Deane lead the reds while the second GCC line-up, the GCC Spice, may exhibit the strongest attack of all teams through the duo of Abosaide Cadogan and Sonia Jardine.

The competition will also feature a men’s second division and a veterans’ division featuring players over the age of 35.

The competition runs all week with the finals set for Sunday evening, October 30, from 16:00hrs.