Following a brief return home, Sara McManus and the rest of the national women’s field hockey team are off to Spain for the FIH Hockey Series Finals — the second stage of the 2020 Summer Olympics qualifying process.
Canada is part of the eight-country tournament that also includes Belarus, Spain, Italy, Namibia, South Africa, Thailand and Wales. The top two teams will advance to the next stage that will feature two qualification matches. Ranked 21st in the world, the Canadians spent the past several months based in Belgium where they faced a steady diet of tough European competition.
McManus, Canada’s third most decorated player with 170 international caps to her credit, was also playing for a Belgium pro team.
“Our objectives over the past year was skill acquisition and getting our players to play in more competitive games,” said national team coach Giles Bonnet. “I think we’ve made the steps we’ve needed in those areas and the team is feeling very confident.”
A week-long training camp took place in Victoria before heading back overseas again. With limited federal funding, the team had a successful fundraising drive that generated over $75,000 to help cover costs of the Spain trip.
McManus, 25, helped Canada win bronze at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto and also was a member of dominant run at UBC that won national titles in 2012-13.
The South Delta Secondary graduate wants nothing more than to get to the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Canada hasn’t reached the sport’s pinnacle event since the 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona.
My dream of playing at the Olympic Games is what motivates me to play field hockey. With the Tokyo 2020 Games so close it’s really my only focus,” said McManus. “But my teammates are also a big motivation and inspiration to me. Being on the pitch with them every day and seeing their efforts really pushes me to be my best.”
Canada will open play against Spain next Wednesday, followed by two more pool games against Namibia (June 21) and Belarus (June 22). The final goes June 27.
