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Hockeyroo returns to the Coast as Olympics put on hold
HOCKEYOO Rosie Malone is starting to come to grips with the fact her Olympic debut has been put on hold.
It was only when the national performance centre in Perth closed this week and Malone was told to pack up and return to the Gold Coast that the thought of not reaching Tokyo in 2020 hit home.
Malone, 22, has opened up about the relief of having the decision finally made and what is to come as she regathers herself for the future.
“A year might seem like forever but we’d rather a year over two years or a full cancellation,” she said of the Tokyo Games being postponed to 2021.
“We all had family wanting us to come home which was quite worrying but there was a lot of relief once the decision had been made.
“It’s also not just us and there’s a lot of bigger things going on right now with people losing their jobs and their lives.”
SHE missed out on representing Australia at her home Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast but Rosie Malone is happy to wait even longer to make her Olympics debut.
The 22-year-old and her Hockeyroos colleagues were told on Monday that the national performance centre in Perth had been decamped, allowing Malone to return to her family on the Gold Coast on Tuesday night just as news broke that the 2020 Olympics would be postponed.
It comes after the Hockey One season, due to be held in October, was also cancelled yesterday due to the ongoing effects of the global health crisis.
Despite the coronavirus pandemic continuing to sweep the globe, Malone said it wasn’t until a few days ago that the thought of a delayed Olympics first crossed her mind.
“I was even making bets with friends,” she said.
“They were saying it wasn’t going to happen and I was like nup, it’s too big an event to be postponed and they’re going to push ahead, maybe with no crowds or whatever.
“Once we pulled out, we realised that there probably wasn’t going to be an Olympics anymore.”
The Australian hockey program was one of the few remaining national teams that remained training until a final decision was made on Monday.
An understanding Malone said she was happy to wait until next year to take to sport’s biggest stage.
“A year might seem like forever but we’d rather a year over two years or a full cancellation,” she said.
“We’re disappointed not to be having it this year because we were mentally and physically preparing for the Olympics and everyone was excited about that.
“We’re trying to figure out what happens from here because the games have never been postponed in history.
“We all had family wanting us to come home which was quite worrying but there was a lot of relief once the decision had been made.
“It’s also not just us and there’s a lot of bigger things going on right now with people losing their jobs and their lives.”
Hockey Australia has instructed players to spend the next month focusing on their health as they begin to prepare at home programs for players ahead of a likely second pre-season later this year.
Working from home should be no issue for the Burleigh hockey product who posted a video of herself on Instagram, performing some impressive trick shots with a roll of toilet paper last week.
“It’s important for us athletes to keep sharing things like that now sport has ceased and we’ve got kids looking up to us who are looking for something fun and funny to do at home,” she said.
“I needed a disclaimer on it though because it upset a few people who were struggling to find toilet paper so I had to say that none of it was damaged fully and it was still used for the right purpose, in the toilet.”