Wilkinson proud to make history for Wales

The Welsh women’s hockey team are assured of plenty of support back in Medway.

Five of the Wales team hail from Rochester-based Holcombe while the national team’s head coach Kevin Johnson is also the club’s head of ladies performance.

Holcombe’s Leah Wilkinson is captaining Wales into a major tournament for the first time and was also due to become the most-capped female player when she led them out in their opening game against India.

“It will be a special day,” she said. “There is so much on it. It’s my third Commonwealth Games and we have been working so hard as a team.

“There haven’t been many changes since Glasgow 2014. It is a real honour to lead a team of women who have worked so hard on and off the pitch.

“I feel fortunate to have stayed injury free and been able to play at this standard for so long. It will be an exciting day and definitely one I will be proud of.”

Wilkinson has 141 caps to her name. Wales’ game against India, which was due to take place last night (Wednesday), was the first hockey fixture of the Games.

Also in the squad are fellow Holcombe players Sarah Jones, Beth Bingham, Jo Westwood and goalkeeper Rose Thomas.

They meet England in their second game and are also in the same pool as South Africa and Malaysia.

Wales are not expected to be fighting for the medals but it won’t stop them trying.

Wilkinson said: “We have done well and moved up the rankings but the top end are moving almost further away. I have been to Delhi in 2010 and 2014 in Glasgow and we finished eighth and then ninth, out of 10.

“It’s not fantastic but we are going there ranked ninth this time. We have always been around our ranking, if not slightly better, and that would be the hope this time. We want to push to be at least better than our ranking.”

Head coach Kevin Johnson hopes they can pull off a few surprises.

He said: “It’s a massive tournament for our players.

“It’s not a world ranking tournament but as a multi-sport tournament for our players, only the Olympics would better it.

“For a lot of them it’s the pinnacle of their career. It’s a big occasion and it is for me too as a coach.

“It’s an opportunity to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world.

“For us it is about making sure we learn as much as we can. If we do that, then we stand a chance of taking down one of the higherranked opposition.”

Holcombe’s Dirkie Chamberlain will be competing for South Arica in her third Commonwealth Games.

She is in a squad that includes several former Holcombe players.

Shelley Jones (nee Russell), Erin Hunter and Quanita Bobbs have all played for Holcombe in recent years.