Even the Queen could not watch - 10 years since Olympic hockey gold
Summary
Ten years ago, on August 19, 2016, the Great Britain women's hockey team won their first Olympic gold by beating the Netherlands in a penalty shootout at the Rio Olympics. The match was intense and closely watched, including by the royal family, and marked a historic achievement for British field hockey.Key Facts
- The gold medal final took place on August 19, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro.
- Team GB beat the Netherlands after a 3-3 draw, winning on penalty strikes by Helen Richardson-Walsh and Hollie Pearne-Webb.
- The Netherlands had won the previous two Olympic golds and were top-ranked in women’s hockey.
- Nearly nine million people in Britain watched the match on TV.
- Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, watched the game at Balmoral and described the tension in the room, including from Queen Elizabeth II.
- The GB team had superstitions like wearing the same clothes and sitting in the same bus seats before matches.
- This was the first Olympic hockey gold for GB women's team and the first for Britain since the men's win in 1988.
- Since 2021, the team has not medaled in major tournaments except for Commonwealth gold in 2022 and has not performed strongly in recent Pro League events.
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