Team GB's Hawes hails Dons understanding (From Streatham Guardian)

Team GB's Hawes hails Dons understanding

12:00pm Friday 10th August 2012 in Sport

Great Britain’s Ben Hawes has dedicated his run to the Olympic men’s hockey semi-finals to Wimbledon Hockey Club, writes Tim Ashton.
 

The Riverbank arena in Stratford has rocked to the performances of the Team GB men, which saw them reach the last four with a nervy 1-1 draw with Spain on Tuesday night.
 

Hawes, 32, pictured right, has played his part as head coach Jason Lee’s men have reached the knock-out stages unbeaten following wins over Argentina, Pakistan and stalemates  with South Africa,  Australia and  the Spaniards.

The dream of gold was crushed last night as Team GB were humbled 9-2 by the Netherlands
 

But Hawes, who lives in Surbiton, admitted his performances still owed a great debt to the Church Road club.
 

“One of the reasons I joined Wimbledon Hockey Club was so I could give the Olympics a proper go,” he said, after Sunday’s pulsating 3-3 draw with the Aussies.
 

“This year we’ve been training full-time for the Olympics – so you’re training six days a week plus playing club hockey and I took a decision to let the club hockey come second fiddle and Wimbledon were great and they supported me in my decision.
 

“They enabled me to do that otherwise things may have been different.
 

“Playing at Wimbledon is like 100 people on the sidelines with a few dogs, but I look forward to going back to the club and enjoying it."