Borderer Sarah Robertson named in Great Britain women’s hockey squad for second Olympics on bounce

The 30-year-old, formerly with Tweedbank’s Fjordhus Reivers but now at London club Hampstead and Westminster, is one of three Scots in Team GB’s 16-strong female squad for this summer’s Paris Olympics.

The others heading to France are Dundee’s Charlotte Watson and Edinburgh’s Amy Costello, with Glasgow’s Jess Buchanan accompanying them as a travelling reserve and Glasgow’s Lee Morton selected for GB’s men’s hockey squad.

It’ll be attacking midfielder Robertson’s second Olympics after helping land a bronze medal at 2021’s in Japan by scoring during GB’s 4-3 third-place play-off win against India.

She’s also represented Scotland at three Commonwealth Games – in 2014 in Glasgow, 2018 in Australia and 2022 in Birmingham.

The former Selkirk High School pupil’s squad will share a group with Australia, Argentina, Spain, the USA and South Africa.

Robertson, capped 116 times for her homeland and 91 times for Britain, was the only Scottish player at Tokyo’s games and there weren’t any at Brazil’s in 2016, so she’s regarding this summer’s four-strong representation as an unprecedented breakthrough.

“I think it is a huge moment for Scottish hockey,” she told BBC Scotland.

“I know a lot of work has been done on the pathway in Scotland, so hopefully this is the new normal.

“Scottish Hockey has done a great job in terms of producing the next generation of players.

“I felt it was so important for Scottish hockey to have a Scottish representative on the team for Tokyo, so I certainly carried a sense of responsibility there to live up to my potential and to get into the team.

“Without stating the obvious, the expectation is always to be on the podium. We will certainly be aiming high.”

Their head coach, David Ralph, added: “A huge congratulations goes to the players that have been selected to represent Team GB at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

“Whether this is your fourth games or your first, being selected for an Olympics is an incredibly special moment which I know means a lot to all of our players.

“The GB women’s squad have a long history at the Olympic Games, and we now have the opportunity to create our own history.

“This is our moment and our chance to create memories for life.

“To the whole squad, I want to recognise their hard work and dedication that they’ve shown for the whole cycle.

“They have all played and will continue to play a really important role in terms of making sure the selected squad go into the games in the best position possible.”