Sunday, July 29, 2012

Georgie Twigg: Striking gold will be worth missing degree ceremony

GEORGIE Twigg spent three years working toward her twin goals of graduating from the University of Bristol and going to the Olympics – and then both came along on the same day.

The 21-year-old law student had to miss her graduation in Bristol last week – because it was the day she and her team-mates in the Great Britain hockey squad moved into the Olympic Village.

Twigg will have a chance to don the standard graduation attire of gown and mortar board in January – but the only accessory she is focusing on for now is a gold medal.

"I missed my graduation – it was last week – but I'm going to do it in January and have another ceremony then," said the youngest member of the hotly-tipped GB squad.

"It was the day we actually entered the village, so that was a bit more important!

"We have trained for the last three years to win a gold medal – that is why we're here and it's something we want so badly."

Great Britain warmed up for the Olympics by winning the test event at the Riverbank Arena, one of the eight sports venues at the Olympic Park, where their group campaign kicks off against Japan on Sunday.

And the Clifton midfielder just wants the Games begin after settling into the Olympic Village with her team-mates.

"There's always an excitement about being at the Olympics," said Twigg. "I just want it to start now and there's a great general buzz around the village. We're settled in our flats, we've put all our good luck cards up but everyone has levelled out now and got over the wow factor. We've knuckled down now and are training well and looking forward to performing well.

"We just want the first game to come – and then it's a bit like another tournament, because we have to make sure we stay focused and keep to our set routines. Just because it's the Olympics, we're not going to stray away from that.

"We've got a day on and a day off, and on our days off we'll have our recovery strategies and meetings as usual, so I think we'll be as prepared as we can. We feel ready, we feel prepared and now we just want to go out and play against Japan."

After Sunday's opener against Japan, Great Britain face Korea on Tuesday, Belgium on Thursday, China next Saturday and Netherlands on Monday, August 6, before the knockout stages begin on Wednesday, August 8. And Twigg is hoping any British success over the coming weeks can inspire a new generation of girls to take up the sport.

"In the last year, we've been going out to schools and trying to reach out to more people to play hockey," she said. "And it's not just the young school children, we've started getting older people playing as well. All the tickets are sold out, so clearly there is an interest in hockey, and hopefully we can go out and inspire more and more people to pick up sticks and play."

As well as the support of a nation, Twigg is looking forward to the more personal encouragement from some of her Clifton team-mates who managed to secure tickets for Great Britain's matches

"The girls at Clifton have been absolutely fantastic – and I think a few of them are coming to watch," she said. "I've loved playing for Clifton the last four years and they are all fantastic girls."

Georgie Twigg: Striking gold will be worth missing degree ceremony

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