Mzansi women’s hockey team ready for qualifiers
Head coach Giles Bonnet selected a mix of experienced veterans and young talent for the event, which will take place from October 29 to November 5 in Tshwane.
The South African women’s national hockey team has announced its 18-player roster for the upcoming African Hockey Road to Paris 2024 Olympic qualifier tournament.
South Africa will be looking to earn its spot at the 2024 Paris Olympics through a top performance at the upcoming qualifier event on home soil.
“We are looking forward to the tournament and the opportunity to take on the rest of Africa,” Bonnet said. “We have had a couple of good camps and we want to make our country proud and secure qualification for the Paris Olympics. We believe the squad selected will have a great opportunity to do exactly that.”
South Africa is in Pool A alongside Nigeria and Zimbabwe, with the top two teams advancing to the semifinals.
The winner of the seven-team competition will qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The fixtures are as follows:
29/10/2023 – 16:00 – South Africa vs. Zimbabwe
30/10/2023 – 10:00 – South Africa vs. Nigeria
Seven players from the team’s 2021 Tokyo Olympics squad return, led by veterans Celia Seerane and Quanita Bobbs.
Younger players like Aphiwe Dimba and Paris-Gail Isaacs will get their first experience with the senior national team.
“We have had a couple of good camps and we want to make our country proud and secure qualification for the Paris Olympics,” Bonnet said. “We believe the squad selected will have a great opportunity to do exactly that.”
The tournament will take place at the Tuks University in Tshwane starting on October 29. Tickets will be available through the South African Hockey app or at the gate.
The selected players (their respective caps)
- Anelle van Deventer (42)
- Erin Christie (93)
- Onthatile Zulu (44)
- Antonet Louw (14)
- Jean-Leigh du Toit (28)
- Paris-Gail Isaacs (0)
- Aphiwe Dimba (0)
- Kayla de Waal (10)
- Quanita Bobbs (172
- Bianca Wood (35)
- Kayla Swarts (9)
- Stephanie Botha (21
- Celia Seerane (173)
- Kristen Paton (68)
- Taheera Augousti (16)
- Edith Molikoe (22)
- Ntsopa Mokoena (16)
- Tarryn Lombard (80)