Golden Sticks prepare for Olympic qualifiers

The senior national hockey team, the Golden Sticks, is currently camping at the Theodosia Okoh National Hockey Stadium, ahead of the Africa Hockey Olympics qualifiers, in South Africa.

The competition billed to start on October 23 to November 3, will see Ghana competing against eight other African countries including the host nation.

The countries expected to participate include, Nigeria, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Zambia, Kenya and Uganda where the champion of the tournament qualifies for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil, and the second-placed competes in the next Commonwealth Games in Australia.

The team manager of the female national hockey team, Madam Rosemary Lamptey, told the GNA Sports that, she is confident the team will beat off competition from their opponent to qualify for the Olympic Games.

She said “definitely they will qualify for the Rio Olympics and I believe with determination and focus they will make it. They are motivated after the training tour in the United Kingdom (UK) and they should be able to qualify for the major tournaments so that the executives won’t regret their input.

“The girls are in good shape after the UK tour and have psyched themselves up adequately for the South Africa tournament. They are focused and they want to bring something home and definitely we will pull surprises in South Africa.

“I don’t think we have any serious challenge. The team is in camp. Everything is in order and we just waiting for the big game.”

The Black Sticks played a 1-1 drawn game with the Citizens in a friendly game as part of preparations towards the tourney.