Great Britain women’s hockey captain, Kate Richardson-Walsh, said she never doubted her wife and team-mate Helen would score a crucial penalty stroke that helped seal a historic gold medal win over the reigning champions, the Netherlands.
With a gold medal round her neck following a shootout victory after a dramatic 3-3 draw, Kate Richardson-Walsh confirmed she would retire from international hockey after 13 years as captain and two years after nearly quitting the sport. “I retire as Olympic champion, so it’s a good way to go out,” she said.
Maddie Hinch, the Team GB goalkeeper, was the big hero of the night, repelling wave after wave of Dutch attacks, saving a penalty stroke during normal time and again keeping the reigning champions at bay during the climactic shootout.
“I can go years and years back through tournaments and find out what each player did and narrow it down to one plan for each player. So I looked at that and thought I’m going to do that,” she said.
“I think it gives us confidence that it’s not over until it’s over. This tournament’s had some unbelievable comebacks. Even if we’re down to the last minute we’ll still keep fighting and we believe in our chances at the other end. What a great advert for the hockey.”
Helen Richardson-Walsh, who scored a penalty stroke after a foul during the shootout, sealed victory along with Hollie Webb, whose winning goal during the shuffles sparked delirium among the squad.
“It is really special. To win an Olympic medal is special, to win an Olympic medal with your wife standing next to you, taking the penalty in the pressure moments is so special. We will cherish this for the rest of our lives,” said Kate Richardson-Walsh.
“I honestly felt the more the crowd booed, the more Helen was going to score. I know how that inspires her, the passion of wanting to prove others wrong and deliver.”
Helen Richardson-Walsh, who said she would also probably retire from international hockey, said she had targeted Olympic gold through a rollercoaster career.
“We’ve had 17 years of many ups and downs. We started very low, at eighth in Sydney and from that moment we just wanted to win an Olympic medal,” she said. “It’s not been easy and it just shows that if you put your mind to it and dedicate your life to something you can make it happen.”
The head coach, Danny Kerry, said the team had targeted Olympic gold two years ago, when he convinced a core of senior England players to stay on after the disappointment of losing in the semi-finals of the Commonwealth Games.
“Surreal is probably the best word. Some days you know you’re going to win. Even though we didn’t play very well in the first three-quarters, I thought: ‘Yes, we’re making hard work of it but we’re toughing it out,’” said Kerry.
“Today I just knew we would come away with a win. In the last quarter we changed our system of play. It worked.”
Alex Danson, who scored twice in the semi-final as part of a run of eight straight wins that led to gold, paid tribute to their coach.
“Danny is the best tactician in the whole world. But he also has an understanding that the best teams come from the best culture and the best culture comes from the most together team,” she said.
“The team that believes in what we’re trying to do and the team that, when the chips are down, you look one another in the eye and you never look down. You promise one another that you’ll do your job.”
