ANOTHER Malaysian Hockey Confederation project, the Hockey 5s, is set to make its debut on March 2-6 at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
This comes after MHC had organised a National Indoor Hockey League for the first time at the end of last year.
Malaysia were never into the 5s, but took it like duck to water in 2018, and won gold at the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics. Though unfamiliar with the format, coach Wallace Tan's team made the final and beat India 4-2, after twice coming from behind.
The faster and goals-plenty 5s is now dubbed as the "hockey of the future".
"Hockey 5s will make its debut in March with 14 state teams competing in an under-23 tournament. Our long-term target is to make it popular among the grassroots," said MHC Chairman of Hockey 5s Hasnizam Hassan.
MHC plan to select a team for the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Invitational tournament in Lausanne.
Malaysia, Switzerland, India, Pakistan and Poland will play in the first ever FIH-organised Hockey 5s.