AS this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo draws nearer, Durban North hockey player, Gowan Jones has pinned his hopes on making the South African team. The 30-year-old is currently part of the 45-man national squad which will be whittled down to 18 (two travelling reserves) players in May.

Jones is one of four goalkeepers vying for a place in the final team selection.

“I’m giving it my all this year to make the Olympic Games. This is my third Olympic phase and I’ve missed out on London in 2012 due to injury, we decided not to compete at the Rio Games in 2016 so now it’s all on the line for me to make the final team for 2020,” he explained.

Jones who is the director of hockey at Reddam House Umhlanga earned his first national cap in 2011 and has spent more than 10 years in the SA set-up from the juniors to the seniors.

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He has played in two hockey World Cups and one Commonwealth Games and believes this year he can make it to Tokyo.

“The Olympic Games is every athlete’s dream and has been mine for the longest time. Of course representing my country is the ultimate honour, but to represent my country in Japan would be an amazing feeling. I’ve been working hard on my fitness and keeping injury free leading up to the games,” he said.

Jones was full of praise for the current squad who are playing Germany in a test series in Pretoria.

“Our coach Gareth Ewing has been incredible in bringing together a new team and building a new for SA hockey. He has been instrumental with the U21 team leading them to 10th place at the Junior World Cup in Lucknow (India) in 2016.

“The Olympic Games will be a great marker to see where we are as a country and help us gain experience but we all have our eyes on the 2022 Hockey World Cup. I hope to make the final team to get to the games and my ultimate dream would be to appear in another world cup for South Africa,” he said.

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