June 18, 2021 12.27 pm This story is over 33 months old

Gold medalist from Newark called up to Team GB Olympic hockey team

Well done and good luck Shona!

Shona, alongside her teammates, has won a medal in the women's hockey at the Olympics. | Photo: Frank Uijlenbroek, England Hockey photographer
By Local Democracy Reporter

Shona McCallin from Newark has been called up to Team GB’s women’s hockey team for the upcoming Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The women’s squad will be entering the tournament as Olympic champions after securing a famous gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Newark-born Shona McCallin, 29 was one of the 16 women to be selected for the squad, and is one of seven players looking to go for back-to-back gold medals.

Shona McCallin. | Photo: Team GB

Shona has 93 England and GB caps to her name, winning a gold and a bronze medal in the 2015 and 2017 European championships, and will be hoping to cement her legacy at the games this summer.

Lincolnshire’s other hockey heroes from five years ago, Georgie Twigg, Hannah MacLeod and Crista Cullen have all retired from the game since that famous gold in Rio de Janeiro.

There are no Lincolnshire representatives in the men’s hockey squad, who will be hoping for a better result than 2016 when they were knocked out in their final pool match.

Women’s Head Coach, Mark Hager, said: “For many of our Great Britain squad this has been a five-year journey in the making.

“Narrowing our squad down from 26 has been extremely difficult and highlighted the depth and talent we have. I have been humbled by how our entire Great Britain squad has supported each other through the selection process.

“There is a lot of potential in this team and I am very excited to see what this group of not only talented athletes, but exceptional people can bring in Tokyo.

“We have a good balance of experience within the group to draw upon as we continue to challenge each other, and I am looking forward to seeing this group of athletes perform on the world stage.”