East Grinstead Hockey Club duo Sophie Bray and Laura Unsworth combined with West Chiltington-based Maddie Hinch to book GB women’s team in the Olympic final.
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Team GB have won 50 medals – more than at any other overseas Olympics.
Despite winning bronze in London, it was hard to predict how the team would fare in Rio after mixed results over the previous 12 months.
“If you do well at a Champions Trophy you don’t perhaps work as you should”.
Britain were the only team to progress from the group stage with a 100% record, having beaten both Argentina and Australia – ranked second and third in the world – on their way to the quarter-finals.
The Kiwis had the better opportunities in a goalless opening quarter, catching GB on the break at pace but unable to convert their chances. Ansley Giselle had two penalty corner shots saved as Britain pushed for a second goal.
In the third quarter, Britain’s Georgie Twigg was felled by a flying ball and spent a few minutes on the ground receiving attention before being helped off the pitch.
Britain’s women will want to emulate the most famous hockey team their nation has seen by winning gold, albeit against a Dutch side seeking a hat-trick of Olympic titles.
The final will be played against the Netherlands on Friday at 9pm.
For the second half of play, the Netherlands pounded at the Germany defense.
The full-time whistle prompted wild celebrations from the GB team, with Kate Richardson-Walsh adding: “We didn’t feel nervous, we were confident”.
New Zealand fluffed a couple of decent chances, once narrowly missing the far side of the goal with three minutes of the first quarter to go.
Friday’s gold medal match is scheduled to start at 9pm United Kingdom time, following the bronze medal match. Seven games out of seven, not too shabby.
After the interval Sam Quek, winning her 50th Great Britain cap drew a good save out of Lopez as GB hunted another goal to kill the game off. Spain tiptoed their way back into the match and Maddie Hinch, making her 100th global appearance had to be alert to block from Begonia Garcia at close range. “I am very, very proud of them all”.
“They are inspiring a whole generation of children to take up sport and activity and motivating them to try their best at something they love”.
“If rigid focus isn’t enough to win gold, consider momentum”.
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And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out! We’re probably going to get some media attention now so we just have to make sure that doesn’t interfere with our recovery and our briefings and stuff.
