SA hockey looks ahead to World Cup 2014
Both national hockey teams enjoyed a largely successful year, according to SA Hockey Association (Saha) chief executive Marissa Langeni, as the country prepares for the Commonwealth Games, as well as the hockey World Cup next year.
FILE PICTURE: SA players acknowledge the crowd during the Investec Women’s International Hockey Challenge Final match between South Africa and Netherlands from Hartleyvale Hockey Stadium on February 10, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa.Photo by Peter Heeger / Gallo Images
“Both teams are looking forward to the Champions Challenge tournament, which is a precursor to the World Cup, as well as the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,” Langeni said.
Despite ups and downs on the local front, which concluded with a 5-0 series defeat for the men’s team by Argentina recently, Langeni said strides had been made on the financial front in getting South Africa up to a competitive level.
“Finance will always be a concern for most national confederations. It’s not at the optimum that we want it to be,” Langeni said.
“However, we continue to be a force to be reckoned with.”
The women’s team began the year with a 4-0 series defeat to Belgium but later in January went on to qualify for the semi-finals of the World League series, coming through the World League second round to advance to the penultimate round.
A disappointing semi-final tournament in London ended with South Africa finishing seventh out of eight teams, and failing to progress to the final of the World League series.
A similar fate awaited the men, who also came through the second round of the League format.
The South Africans trounced Chile 6-1 in their final fixture of the World League Round 2 tournament in Brazil in March, booking their place at the World League semi-finals.
But their success was short-lived, after finishing last at the World League semis, having claimed a single point in their three pool games.
Ahead of their semi-final disappointment, South Africa’s preparation for next year’s Hockey World Cup in the Netherlands received a boost, with the national men’s team securing a corporate sponsor for the first time in years.
A deal was signed with Mugg and Bean to fund the national side for the next two years. May saw the appointment of Charlie Pereira as head coach of the men’s side.
Pereira succeeded Gregg Clark, whose contract ended at the end of last season.
November saw a hugely successful month for both senior national teams, as the men and women won their respective Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and will be the continent’s sole representatives at next year’s World Cup.
“It was a difficult qualification route. It was quite a difficult set of circumstances,” Langeni added.
“Fortunately the tournament went our way. We now look forward to 2014 and not having to worry about our participation.
“The next big thing outside of the World Cup is the Commonwealth Games.”
Meanwhile, the under-21 men’s side finished 12th overall in the Junior World Cup in Delhi, having won a single group match, before losing out to Pakistan in the final fixtures for classification spots.
Rounding off a successful year for the SA Hockey Federation was their nomination for a third consecutive Federation of the Year award at the South African Sports Awards, but hockey narrowly lost out to Swimming SA.
– Sapa
