Hockeyroos Announce Extended Senior Olympic Squad
Hockeyroo veteran Hope Munro appears set to make a remarkable comeback in time for the 2012 London Olympics, today selected in the Hockeyroos National Senior/ Olympic Squad over 12 months since retiring from the team.
Munro, a member of the Hockeyroos 2008 Beijing Olympics team, has been included in the 27 player Olympic training squad along with Ashlee Wells (VIC), Emily Smith (NSW) and Claire Messent (VIC) at the expensive of Hollie Webster (NSW), Georgie Parker (SA), Elise Stacy (SA) and Renee Trost (VIC).
Webster, Parker, Stacy and Trost have been named in the National Development squad along with Elizabeth Duguid, Jill Dwyer, Lisa Eglington, Deanne Gilbert, Kate Hollywood, Amy Korner and Sally O’Toole.
With the Hockeyroos final Olympic team not been selected until June 17th, all national senior, development and junior squad athletes are in contention for selection until that date.
Currently in the 27 member Olympic squad, are AIS-WAIS scholarship holders Fiona Boyce, Kobie McGurk, Ashleigh Nelson and Jayde Taylor.
Munro retired on the eve of the 2010 World Cup in order to spend more time with her young family. With Adam Commens taking over as coach at the beginning of 2011, she played her first international game of the year at last month’s Lanco International Super Series.
Commens said he is confident he has picked the strongest possible squad, however there is still room for players outside the national squad to stand up in time for the Olympics.
“After a year in which we have exposed almost 40 athletes to international hockey, we have narrowed the group down to what I believe to be our strongest possible group of 27 players. With Hope Munro, the return of someone with that much experience is a positive, however she still has a long way to go physically before she is back to her best.
In terms of those outside the squad, there are still a number of players in the development squad who are still in contention (for Olympic selection) and with some strong performances in the early part of next year could see them make the team,” said Commens.
-HockeyAustralia
