Departing Hockeyroo on culture battle, Olympic reality

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Departing Hockeyroo on culture battle, Olympic reality

Jane Claxton has taken a parting shot at those responsible for the Hockeyroos’ historical cultural issues and, in a tearful goodbye, lamented the brutal reality of another short-lived Olympic campaign.

Australia were upset 3-2 by China in Monday’s Olympics quarter-finals, the sixth consecutive loss at the stage for the team since winning a third gold in four Games in Sydney 24 years ago.

Three-time Olympian Claxton confirmed her retirement after the Paris loss before delving into the program’s cultural overhaul and the emotional toll of more Olympic heartbreak.

“It doesn’t reflect what we are as a group; the high skill level and work-rate, tenacity, resilience,” said Claxton, who has won World Cup silver, bronze and Commonwealth gold.

“I know Australians value (Olympic) medals and that’s how they value your worth as an athlete and that’s heartbreaking.

“You don’t want to be walking away from a 13-year career with nothing to show for it, even though you have so much.”

Years of discontent within the Hockeyroos’ set-up reached boiling point late in 2020 when players publicly aired allegations of bullying.

Hockey Australia launched an independent review which found a dysfunctional culture existed within the national women’s high-performance program and triggered the exits of coaches, players and administrators.

“You can hold on to a lot of resentment to certain players that made it about themselves but I don’t think they will ever see it that way,” Claxton said of her frustrations during that *******.

“In the end the good people stick around and that’s what happened.

“They made it an amazing experience, the last six months, and I’m so incredibly proud to be part of that and know I’m leaving a group that’s so caring for each other.”

Tensions simmered again before Paris when coach Katrina Powell, who replaced Paul Gaudoin before the Tokyo Games, didn’t select veteran striker Rosie Malone.

The team backed the call, which was unsuccessfully protested by Malone, and Claxton insisted their unity leading in and during the Paris tilt had been stronger than ever.

“I’m definitely leaving it in a better place,” she said.

“We had some really tough years four or five years ago, made drastic changes and they needed to happen.

“That’s both with players and coaching staff being removed and now it’s an incredible environment to be a part of and I’m so jealous of what they get to step into leading into LA (2028 Olympics).”

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