Golden Boot’s dream deferred
Myer Bevan had been making a compelling case for himself ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, but like many Kiwi athletes, his dreams have been put on hold.
The 22-year-old striker finished the national men’s football league season with 15 goals in 16 appearances for champions Auckland City, four more than his closest rival for the Golden Boot.
They were the sort of numbers he had been hoping to put up, having returned to New Zealand after three years in Europe and North America, where he had been trying to make it as a pro.
There is plenty of competition at the attacking end of the pitch among the current crop of OlyWhites – those born in 1997 and later – and Bevan looked to have given his chances of making it to Tokyo a real boost.
But with the sporting world put on hold as a result of the coronavirus pandemic – and the Olympics postponed until 2021 – his good form during the 2019-20 summer might have all been for nought.
‘‘The Olympics were meant to be in July, so that would have been perfect for me to put my best foot forward in terms of form to be selected, but obviously with the timeframe changing it’s a bit different,’’ Bevan said. ‘‘The last year for me has been good, with the Olympic qualifiers and the Golden Boot, but then again it all depends on who they take as overage players and who fits into the squad.’’
Before the national league season began, Bevan played a significant role as the OlyWhites qualified for Tokyo by winning the OFC Under-23
Championship, scoring a dozen goals to claim the tournament’s Golden Boot.
He started the season with a hattrick as City beat Hawke’s Bay United and scored in each of their first six games, helping them fly out to an early lead which they never relinquished.
City were crowned the 2019-20 champions earlier this month, when the country’s response to the spread of Covid-19 meant the league was cancelled with two rounds – and the top four playoffs – still to play.
One of the final acts of the season was Bevan scoring his 15th goal – at the end of a 2-0 win over Eastern Suburbs, the last game to be played – but since then he’s been stuck in limbo, like many athletes around the world.
‘‘We’re in the unknown now – noone really knows what will happen tomorrow, let alone next month.
‘‘It’s a bit strange, I don’t know when I’ll be going, but I’ve just got to take it day by day.’’