Manpreet Singh becomes first Indian to win FIH hockey Player of the Year award

Manpreet Singh has become the first Indian to win the international hockey federation's player of the year award.

The captain of the Indian men's team won 35.2 per cent of the combined votes and beat Belgium's Arthur van Doren and Lucas Vila of Argentina to the coveted honour.

The 27-year-old Singh had a stellar year in 2019, he led the team to victory in the FIH series finals and subsequent Olympic qualifiers against Russia where India secured a spot at the Tokyo 2020 games.

Singh made his senior debut in 2011 and he has been a mainstay in the team sincewinning 263 international caps.

The midfielder was part of the squad that won the gold medal at the 2014 Asian games.

Singh- who was named captain in 2017 has also represented the country at the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.

He will now turn his focus on this year's games where India will be looking to win their first medal since 1980.

Meanwhile, Eva de Goede of the Netherlands was awarded the women's prize for the second year in a row.