Hockey 5s saw packed crowds and plenty of goals at the Youth Olympics as the sport goes from strength to strength at junior level – but it’s not for everyone
Lapping it up
Argentina kept the media waiting after their 3-1 success over India in the women’s final. After collecting their gold medals, they danced and left fans happy for an hour after their historic win.
#Hockey5 ¡El baile de las campeonas!
¡Así festejaban Las Leoncitas la medalla de oro!#VamosArgentina #ArgentinaEnBuenosAires2018 pic.twitter.com/aESvsdO7bV
— Comité Olímpico ARG (@PrensaCOA) October 14, 2018
Why no Great Britain team?
While Zambia continued to make hay in the shortened format, Vanuatu’s under-18s continued to make friends and Argentina won a first gold (in either Youth or Senior Olympics), there were some notable missing nations at the Hockey 5s. If attention spans are indeed getting shorter and Olympic chiefs are forever looking at ways of making the Games cheaper, with fewer athletes, and a bite size formula, then surely Hockey 5s will one day become part of the Olympic fabric.
The likes of Holland, Great Britain and Germany didn’t take part in European qualifying – Poland and Austria winning places – while New Zealand and the USA also didn’t participate. Asian nations, meanwhile, were eager after a hotly-contested qualifying competition.
A Great Britain Hockey spokesperson said: “With finite resources at our disposal, the Hockey 5s format is not currently a priority at that age group. We do of course regularly review our strategy and we could revisit this decision in the future.”
Hockey 5s not for everyone
The buzz around hockey5s is nice. But just that. The buzz. Nice.
As an entertaining promotional vehicle seems to work but as a game is just a deficient, ugly version of our beautiful 11v11 hockey. Very few transferible concepts and a misperception of people watching for 1st time.— Self-Pass (@self_pass) October 13, 2018
What they said
“I cannot not believe it. It is a unique experience to get the chance to win such a title and share it with all my friends and family! This happens once in a lifetime! We are a strong group and if we stay as unified as we are now we can go really far!”
Argentina’s Victoria Miranda
Sportsmanship
True sportmanship! #Namibia's team hugged #Zimbabwe after they tied 3-3 in the #Hockey5 Preliminary Round at #BuenosAires2018. Namibia advanced and Zimbabwe lost the chance to fight for the medals.
Follow the @youtholympics on the Olympic Channel! 📺 https://t.co/vfUYIV4Qc8 pic.twitter.com/x5l0G3N6xq
— Olympic Channel (@olympicchannel) October 12, 2018
Malaysia’s quiet celebrations
"I think all Malaysians will be very proud of our team. We will only celebrate a little bit… Maybe we will eat chocolate and listen to some music!"
Hockey5s gold medallist Amirul Azahar #GameChangers #BuenosAires2018 @FIH_Hockey @ocm_mom pic.twitter.com/dQ9aMcRJF1
— Youth Olympic Games (@youtholympics) October 14, 2018
Quick goals
A goal right from the start? Watch this AMAZING goal from Craig Marais #9 (Year 10). The other Marais #4 you also see? Oh, that's our School Captain, Brad. The brothers are representing Australia in the Men's Hockey 5s at the @youtholympics @BuenosAires2018 pic.twitter.com/rpsCrQMTok
— Brighton Grammar (@BrightonGrammar) October 13, 2018
Team work to the fore
We are loving the amazing teamwork being shown during #Hockey5s at @BuenosAires2018 #GameChangers #BuenosAires2018
Follow fihockey https://t.co/GLr4Cd1fTL (just one h 😉) @instagram for more close up action! pic.twitter.com/dmFHdE3P5Q— International Hockey Federation (@FIH_Hockey) October 10, 2018
