20 June 2013
| THE HEARTBEAT OF WOMEN'S SPORT
Home   >   Features   >   Sportsister catches up with Alex Danson

Sportsister catches up with Alex Danson

August 22, 2012
Sportsister catches up with Alex Danson

Sportsister caught up with GB women’s hockey player Alex Danson to find out how life’s been going for her since she became an Olympic bronze medallist.

Sportsister catches up with Alex Danson How is everything with you?

I still can’t quite believe I have won a medal, it feels brilliant. I knew we would put on a great Games but I never thought in my wildest dreams that it would be as incredible as it was.

What have you been up to since the Games finished?

Just trying to catch up with people that I haven’t seen in so long because of training, getting some rest and seeing my family, which has been really nice.

Have you got some time off now?

After the Olympics it is important that our bodies have a little bit of a rest time so I have got a couple of months off now, but will still have to do some kind of conditioning work and stay fit.

Is the centralised programme going to continue?

They will do a UK sport review so we are hopeful as it has made such a difference to us. We have gone from ranked 11th in the world to 4th. Having not qualified four years ago, it has made such a big difference.

Was the semi-final the most important match you have ever played?

That semi-final was huge. I think that hopefully the people that came to watch saw the culmination of all the hard work we have put in. It wasn’t our day but I think at one stage it will be our day and I hope I am involved in the team when it is.

Sportsister catches up with Alex Danson Was it hard to get motivated after that match and play for bronze?

We had experienced the same kind of thing at the World Cup in 2010 so we knew what we had to do. We had 24 hours to be devastated and to speak to one another but the minute our de-brief began, we had to forget about it.

Kate, your captain, had a serious injury to her jaw. What kind of an impact did that have on the team?

It was something we would never want to think might happen but it is testament to what Kate is like. She was an inspiration to all of us that she was somehow able to lead us out in our final match.

How important was the home crowd?

I had never walked out in my life and heard 16,000 people scream just for Great Britain. The noise they created was like an extra player and it would swing the momentum during a game.

What has been the best thing about being a medal winning Olympian so far?

Without question just standing on the podium with 16 likeminded people who represented the whole squad of 28. I think that is what I will remember for ever.

What was life like in the village?

Everyone was in tune with their sport and that was incredible to see. I think what I also liked was the respect among the athletes, if you spotted some one during the day who had just won a medal from another country, you know how much they have been through and how hard they had worked to get to this point.

Do you think this will be a pivotal moment for women’s sport after so much success?

Yeah I hope so, all of the sports have different role models. I have one medal for Team GB, but now we have 16 role models to go out and we represent every corner of the country pretty much. In sport it doesn’t matter of you are male or female, you can still be successful.

Sportsister,
The Women’s Sports Magazine

Image credit: Ady Kerry

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Select a sport

Find out how to get started, training plans and expert advice.