Slough duo selected for Olympic team

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Slough Hockey Club Ladies duo Kate Walsh and Alexandra Danson are on their way to Beijing after being named in the Great Britain squad for the Olympic Games.

Veteran Walsh, who competed in the Sydney games in 2000, is a respected player in the GB set-up and her experience will no doubt be vital for the squad when the Olympics begin on August 9.

The men’s team, which beat India in March to qualify for the Games, includes ex-Maidenhead player and Datchet resident Matthew Daly and Cippenham resident Richard Mantell.

Women’s coach Danny Kerry said the squad has a good mix of youth and experience.

“The squad has a good nucleus of experienced players, some of whom have already tasted Olympic competition in 2000,” he said. “Equally the squad contains an element of youth, which has shown its effectiveness against top-ranked international teams.”

Men’s coach Jason Lee said: “This group have repeatedly shown that they are able to cope with new and challenging environments, so I have no fear that they may wilt under the Olympic spotlight.”

GB squads - Men: Richard Alexander (Surbiton), Jonathan Bleby (Loughborough), Jonathan Clarke (Reading), Matthew Daly (Surbiton), Stephen Dick (Inverleith), Ben Hawes (Surbiton), Ashley Jackson (East Grinstead), Glenn Kirkham (East Grinstead), Richard Mantell (Reading), Simon Mantell (Reading), Benjamin Marsden (Surbiton), Alistair McGregor (Loughborough), Barry Middleton (HGC), Rob Moore (Surbiton), James Tindall (Surbiton), Alastair Wilson (Beeston).

Women: Jennie Bimson (Leicester), Melanie Clewlow (Canterbury), Charlotte Craddock (Cannock), Crista Cullen (Leicester), Alexandra Danson (Slough), Joanne Ellis (Ipswich), Joanne Ellis (Bowdon Hightown), Anne Panter (Leicester), Helen Richardson (Leicester), Chloe Rogers (Chelmsford), Elizabeth Storry (SCHC), Sarah Thomas (Rotterdam), Rachel Walker (Olton & West Warwickshire), Kate Walsh (Slough), Lisa Wooding (Chelmsford), Lucilla Wright (Olton & West Warwickshire).