Team GB’s Giselle Ansley once missed out on scoring a century in cricket by three runs and now the Surbiton Hockey Club star has no intention of letting an Olympic medal get away in Rio this month.
The 24-year-old was bowled out for 97 playing for Devon Women against Wales, before being convinced her future lay in hockey by Team GB assistant coach Craig Keegan.
Ansley had taken 29 wickets and scored 289 runs in 22 senior women’s limited over matches for the minor county before quitting the sport.
Relaxed: Giselle Ansley takes a breather at Team GB's Bisham Abbey base
And now the move has paid off she wants to add an Olympic medal to the Commonwealth Games silver and European Championship gold she already has in her collection.
“When I was young I never believed I would play hockey for Team GB or England, but when I stopped playing cricket I started to have that dream,” she said.
“We had the European U21 championships coming and Craig (Keegan) – who was then in charge of the U21 programme – said I had to choose between the two.
Hard work: Giselle Ansley putting in the hard yards in training
“It was a no brainer for me because I was one step ahead with hockey, so that is the way I went.”
“I once scored 97 against Wales and I went to pull a half tracker only to be bowled. It was a nightmare.
“Who gets to 97 and gets bowled? I should have been seeing it like a football.”
She added: “We have trained so hard as a squad and we are not going to shy away from the fact we want to go out there and win a gold medal.”
Ansley, who is originally from Kingsbridge, joined Surbiton three years ago and credits women’s head coach Brett Garrard - England and Great Britain’s most capped player - with her rise.
Sharp shooter: Giselle Ansley does not find the back of the net very often and does not have a goal celebration planned for the Olympics if she does score
“Brett has been there and done it all and haws done a huge amount for me and my hockey," she added.
“I might arrive for training at Sugden Road thinking I’ve had a terrible training week with England and he can see that and knows exactly the right thing to say.
“He has had a massive impact on going to Rio this year.”
Team GB's women's hockey campaign starts against Australia on Sunday.
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