SA Hockey
Three young hockey players from Nelson Mandela Bay will be taking part in their first-ever Olympic Games after being included in the SA Women’s Hockey Team for the Tokyo Olympics in July and August this year.
Formerly from Victoria Park High School, Nicky Veto has been named in the squad as a striker.
Toni Marks, who is also a striker, has been announced as one of three travelling reserves in the squad.
Woodridge College Head Girl and Hockey Coach for 2019, Edith Molikoe, has also been selected for the Olympic Hockey team and heads to Tokyo soon.
She is currently studying towards a BEd at Tuks in Pretoria and is the first-ever Woodridgean to make an Olympic team.
Edith Molikoe
Marks was a long-time member of the Gelvan Hockey Club in the city’s Northern Areas and finished her schooling at Collegiate High School but was at Westering before that.
Now 26-years old, Marks previously represented South Africa at the U’21 World Cup.
Both Marks and Veto are currently based in Gauteng at the behest of SA Women’s head coach Robin van Ginkel.
Marks plays for UJ in the South Gauteng League and says while disappointed at not making the playing squad of 16, being named as a travelling reserve is still an exciting prospect.
“If I was not disappointed initially that I was not in the playing squad of 16, it would have suggested that I don’t set high enough standards for myself, “ Marks told AlgoaFM Sport. “But I understand now us three travelling reserves have a very important role to play and I will be ready if I’m called upon at any stage during the tournament.”
Marks said she’d been told that the Tokyo Olympics will be going ahead despite Covid-19 but that she understands that it will be a very different Olympics because of the pandemic.
Nicky Veto and Toni Marks
Veto, who hails from Walmer Township, is currently playing out of Wits University in Johannesburg.
She’s been part of the SA set-up for a number of years now, and while she’s played in the Africa Cup for her country, she’s relishing the prospect of performing on the biggest stage of them all at the Olympics. “I’m over the moon at my selection and it really is a dream come true. Getting that call-up on Thursday was one of the best days of my life and I know running out in that first game at the Olympics will undoubtedly be the best day ever.”
Veto said she hopes she inspires other youngsters from township communities to never give up on their dreams. “I worked extremely hard to get to where I am today, so it's important for the township youth to realise that,” said Veto. “Nothing just gets handed to you but I do believe that the more opportunities are giving to township residents, the more stars will be unearthed in the future.”
The SA Women are in Group A of the Olympic hockey tournament and start their campaign on the 24th of July against Ireland. Their second game will take place two days later against Great Britain with the Netherlands awaiting 48 hours after that.
It is then a quick turnaround between match four against Germany on the 30th of July and match five against India just 24 hours later.
The team features a total of 977 caps, with an average of 61 caps per player. They will be captained by Erin Christie and supported by Phumelela Mbande.
