Hockeyroos Out in Quarters in Paris

The Australian Women’s Hockey Team has been left heartbroken, questioning ‘what could’ve been’ after their Olympic campaign ended in a devastating 2-3 loss to China in Paris. It is the end of NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) athletes Alice Arnott, Jocelyn Bartram, Kaitlin Nobbs, Grace Stewart, Mariah Williams, and Grace Young.

The Hockeyroos came out firing with their trademark electric start, finding space and piling immediate pressure on China, and it paid off fast.

Star striker Alice Arnott, scoring within 10 minutes off the penalty corner, poised in exactly the right spot to get the deflection on Claire Colwill’s powerful drag flick.

Celebrating her fourth goal in five games, Alice was once again exceptional all over the park in what was a standout debut Olympic appearance.

But as she fired, Australia held the lead for only a minute before China answered straight back, scoring off their first penalty corner to kickstart their winning charge.

China bagged another in right before the half with some fine work in the circle before Queensland’s Tatum Stewart, also having an Olympic debut to cherish, helped claw back the deficit when her hit bounced through four defenders and into the net.

Australia had five final-quarter penalty corners as they pushed to equalise, but Chinese goalkeeper Ye Jiao made two brilliant saves to end Australia’s medal hopes.

As the Hockeyroos huddled, the curtain fell on Renee Taylor and co-captain Jane Claxton’s incredible careers for Australia. Jane celebrated her 250th international in an Olympic quarter-final which would double to be her last in green and gold.

“You can win as much in the round games as you like and then it comes to quarter-finals,” Jane said. 

“We were on top of them in the second half and we couldn’t convert, unfortunately, and that’s as much as you can kind of say.

“Yeah, I get to sit in the stands at the next Olympics.”

Having come up against her former teammate and head coach of China Alyson Annan, double Olympic gold medallist and now coach Katrina Powel, heaped praise on her side post-match.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the athletes,” she said. 

“They’re just amazing athletes and they’re just bloody amazing humans, and that’s why it hurts. You want good things for good people, and sport is not fair.

“We’ve played some great hockey. The brand is beautiful. They bought in, they delivered. Just not today. We were good today, but China was better.

“It’s gutting. We let them in the game too early and the second half picked it up and had them under the pump. We still had faith right until the end,” Jane agreed.

Article courtesy of AOC