Video: Helen’s former coach Bob Douglas speaking to Notts TV
The former coach of Nottinghamshire Team GB hockey hero Helen Richardson-Walsh has spoken of his pride in her historic gold medal achievement.
Helen, from West Bridgford, achieved her lifelong dream of winning a gold medal at the Olympics as part of the women’s hockey team side crowned champions after a tense final tie on Friday night.
Team GB beat the world number one team Netherlands 2-0 on penalties after the match initially finished 3-3.
Team GB women’s hockey road to glory
- Group B: Team GB 2-0 Japan
- Group B: Team GB 2-1 United States
- Quarter-final: Team GB 3-1 Spain
- Semi-final: Team GB 3-0 New Zealand
- Final: Team GB 3-3 Netherlands (GB won 2-0 on penalties)
Helen, 34, used to play at the West Bridgford Hockey Club and is also a former sport student of Central College in Nottingham.
Junior co-ordinator at West Bridgford Hockey Club Bob Douglas spoke about her achievements.
It fills me with admiration
He said: “I’m very proud of the effort she’s made over a long period of time.
“This is her fourth Olympics, she missed one with injury and she’s also had career threatening injuries such as having surgery on her back.
“It fills me with admiration for what she’s done.”
Her ambition has always been to win medals
Having been at the club for over 30 years, Mr Douglas remembers the Olympic gold medallist walking through the doors of West Bridgford Hockey Club for the first time.
He said: “She turned up with her three big brothers to a junior coaching session.
“There were three of us coaching and we looked at the skills that these children had and we thought that they could probably teach us more than we could teach them!
“Helen’s ambition has always been to win medals at Olympic games.”
Helen is also one half of the very first same-sex married couple to win an Olympic gold in the same sport, along with partner Kate Richardson-Walsh.
Also part of the gold medal team was Shona McCallin from Newark.
