Golden Girl

Nine million UK viewers watched the GB women’s hockey team triumph in the Rio Olympics last year. CLIVE AGRAN catches up with the West Chiltington woman who became Britain’s hockey hero

- Clive Agran

MADDIE HINCH, Great Britain’s hockey hero in Rio, ushers me into an elegant living-room in her parents’ beautiful home on the edge of West Chiltington. In the hectic post-Olympic weeks and months, she gave countless interviews but is nevertheless perfectly willing to go through the whole remarkable business yet again.

Surprisingly, it was only the night before that she at last watched a recording of the famous final for the very first time. “I didn’t want to view it on my own and so watched it with my parents. I think Dad has seen it about seven times already. I thought blimey, I look very relaxed. I don’t remember feeling that relaxed at the time.”

In the unlikely event there is anyone out there who was not among the nine million UK viewers spellbound by the thrilling climax to the tournament shown live on TV and missed the subsequent massive media coverage, our golden girls held hot favourites Holland in a frantic final that finished 3-3. And so it went to a penalty shootout. As two countries held their collective breath so goalkeeper Maddie Hinch held her nerve, saved all four of the one-on-one penalties, was mobbed by her delirious team-mates and immediately became the nation’s darling.

#hinch was even trending at number one on Twitter. She learnt this via a text from her brother, who had been in Rio but unfortunately had to return to work and consequently missed the final. Ten minutes later he sent another, “Oh yes, well done on the gold medal.” Maddie smiles as she recalls the episode. Her parents nervously watched the enthralling final from the grandstand and joined the celebrations afterwards.