SA Olympic berths beckon for six current and ex-Witsies
- Tshepiso Mametela
The South Africa Olympic Men’s and Women’s Hockey Squads are gearing up for the highly-anticipated Summer Olympics, whose staging organisers have given the green light, after it was previously postponed for 12 months due to the coronavirus pandemic last year.
The global sporting showpiece is set take place from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, and includes at least six current and former players within the ranks of the Wits first team men’s and women’s sides.
Chad Futcher and Thabang Modise, make it as the only former Wits hockey players - while Cody van Wyk and Rusten Abrahams make it as the only current Wits Hockey Players. They will form part of the senior men’s national team training camp, which was named at the conclusion of the Inter-Provincial Tournament (IPT) in 2019, with Rusten Abrahams — who along with Futcher has a test match for the team under their belt.
Cody Van Wyk in Action
Two former Wits women hockey aces, Nomnikelo Veto and Robyn Johnson, will attempt to hoist the nation’s flag high as they vie for a place in the final SA National Women’s Outdoor team. The format for the 2020 spectacle will see 12 countries apiece competing in the men’s and women’s competitions.
This includes Japan, who as hosts, qualify automatically; the four continental trophy winners; and seven teams from the 2019 FIH Olympic Qualifiers. Wits 1st team men’s hockey coach, Garreth Ewing, credited the institution’s sterling hockey programme for the upward momentum of the Wits players at provincial and national level.
“The upward curve of Wits hockey is clear for all to see, not just in terms of results, but also in seeing more Wits players in representative teams at provincial and national level,” Ewing told Wits Sport.
“This hasn’t been an overnight success, it’s been built up over a few years now, and current Wits staff, including Ricky West (Wits men’s hockey coach), have been instrumental in the development of this player group.”
Noting the selection of the four men’s players, the coach said: “All four were good players before they joined Wits, but it’s a credit to the University’s hockey programme that they have continued to grow and become athletes worthy of national team selection.”
While the call-up to the national senior men’s squad is a first for van Wyk, a potent midfielder for the Senior Southern Gauteng Men’s Team, he was previously a member of the U21 national squad, and at one age group lower, formed part of the Youth Olympic Games U18 Fives National Team that competed in Nanjing, China in 2014.
“It was always a goal of mine to reach the top level at some point and being in the squad is definitely a step in the right direction,” said van Wyk. “We’ve had to remain disciplined and consistent in taking up training at home — with each member of the squad aiming to be selected for the final team of 16,” he added.
Johnson said her own preparations were on track as she observes a stringent cocktail of tried and tested methods. “It’s really important to eat well, sleep well and balance sessions out so that you are always performing at an optimal level,” she said.
“It’s about having the discipline to focus on the small details because the small percentages are what make the difference. But it is also important to be human sometimes; in the sense of taking time away from the field to do something other than just playing hockey.”
Veto, when asked how she received the news of her selection to the SA Olympic squad, said she remains focused on the goal of making the final team. “I was super excited to be in the squad. Obviously still nervous because the girls are really good [but] it’s all about working hard and trying to make the team.”
Nomnikelo Veto in action