Hockey: Another win for GB at Olympic test event

May 3, 2024

Great Britain’s women maintained their 100% record at the Olympic hockey test event with a comfortable 3-0 victory over China today.

Crista Cullen’s early penalty corner and a late Susie Gilbert strike from close range came among a series of other chances as GB dominated.

Cullen grabbed another with a beautiful chip as the game’s last action.

The result secures Britain’s passage into Sunday’s final at the Riverbank Arena inside London’s Olympic Park.

“China are a strong side, they are the Beijing 2008 Olympic silver medallists and it’s great to dominate a team like that on home turf,” Cullen told BBC Sport.

The GB team, who beat South Korea 1-0 yesterday, raised their game against China and could have won by five or six, though goalkeeper Beth Storry was frequently called into action in the first half.

Cullen scored her 48th international goal with a straightforward penalty corner, then Alex Danson received a gift from a wayward Chinese pass but goalkeeper Zhang Yimeng narrowed the angle to deny her.

Gilbert took two bites to scrap home a late goal to make sure of the win after China had missed a glorious chance to equalise, and Cullen then looped the ball in off the bar for number 49 with the game’s final touch.

China are ranked fifth in the world, one place below Britain, and are expected to feature in the same group as GB’s women at the Olympic hockey tournament this summer.

“Yes, the results here don’t matter, there are no world ranking points at stake and there’s not an Olympic Games on our heads, but it’s about getting out there and getting used to the occasion,” said Cullen.

“We’re in the hunt for a gold medal at the Olympics, and you want to make winning a habit.

“It’s great that off the back of yesterday’s performance, which we were slightly disappointed with, we dominated.”

Lizzie Flint, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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Hockey: Another win for GB at Olympic test event

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