Embracing the role of a veteran: Zulu looks ahead to the Nations Cup

SA hockey star Onthatile Zulu is looking forward to her first big tournament experience since the Paris Olympics, as she embraces her role as one of the veterans in a young national team brimming with exciting talent.

- ROWAN CALLAGHAN

The SA women's national hockey team is gearing up for the FIH Women's Hockey Nations Cup 2 tournament in Poland from June 16 to 22 that includes Uruguay, Malaysia and hosts Poland.

It is a platform for emerging national teams to showcase their talent on the international stage, with the opportunity to gain promotion to the FIH Nations Cup.

"Preparations are going well. Although I haven't been centralised with the team, playing league games weekly and training have helped me prepare physically and mentally," said the 25-year-old hockey player who is based in Cape Town.

"I'm excited to head to an international competition, especially since the last big tournament dynamic I experienced was at the Olympic Games in Paris last year."

That was a second Olympic Games, the other being Tokyo, for a player whose storied hockey journey has also taken her to a World Cup and Commonwealth Games. “The Olympic experience has elevated my game and experience.