In the heart of Oman’s capital, Muscat, history was made as the Polish women’s field hockey team secured a bronze medal in the first edition of the five-a-side World Championships. Facing off against South Africa in the battle for third place, the Polish team emerged victorious with a 4-2 win. The Netherlands claimed the coveted title, triumphing over the 16 participating teams in the tournament that commenced last Wednesday.
Notable Absences, Dutch Dominance
The absence of European powerhouses such as Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Belgium, and Spain did not dampen the competition’s intensity. The Netherlands, a powerhouse in the field, demonstrated their prowess by clinching the gold medal.
Despite a challenging start with a 4-5 loss to India, the white-and-red team rebounded, defeating Namibia 5-1 and the United States with the same scoreline. In the quarterfinals, they triumphed over Uruguay 5-3 but fell to the Netherlands in the semifinals.
Brązowy medal kadry Kobiet. 🥉
— Polski Hokej na Trawie (@HockeyPoland) August 22, 2022
Polki zajęły 3 miejsce na turnieju kwalifikacyjnym w Dublinie i za rok zagrają w Mistrzostwach Europy II dywizji. 🏑 pic.twitter.com/fFA07oAdCC
Key Player and Accolades
Amelia Katerla emerged as the star player, securing all four goals in the bronze medal match and concluding the tournament with an impressive tally of 10 goals. Goalkeeper Marta Kucharska earned recognition as the tournament’s best goalkeeper.