OLYMPIC STAR’S INSPIRING RETURN
TASMANIA’S next generation of hockey stars were put through their paces on Sunday as a returning local Olympic Games hero held a number of clinics in Hobart.
Fresh off winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games, 26-year-old Kookaburra Josh Beltz was back in town at the weekend where he was able to pass on his skills – and show off his new bling – to a raucous and eager
crowd of young hockey enthusiasts. Beltz said the clinics were a way of giving back to his local hockey community and that he was thrilled with the turnout and the smiles the clinics produced.
“There was nearly 150 kids over the three sessions so it was really successful and we had a lot of fun,” he said.
“The kids all loved it and we tried to make it high energy and lots of fun and I think it went really well and the kids had a great time.
“I do remember I was once a
little kid attending these sort of clinics and I ended up getting to go to the Olympics, so if these kids can be inspired to go to the Olympics – or even if they just had a good time today – then I’m happy either way.”
Beltz will depart for Perth on Wednesday to finish off his university studies for the year before resuming training in December in a bid to be chosen for the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in 2022.