THREE North Vancouver athletes will suit up for the Canadian national field hockey teams in the final Olympic qualification tournament scheduled for Feb. 18-26 in New Delhi, India.
Hannah Haughn and Anna Kozniuk will take the field in the women's event while Jesse Watson will play for the men's team. Field Hockey Canada announced the 18person rosters for each team on Friday.
Haughn, still just a Grade 12 student, led the Handsworth Royals to the school's first-ever field hockey provincial title last fall. Kozniuk, an Argyle grad, is a freshman at Wake Forest and was named a third-team NCAA All-American after her rookie season. Watson, a 24year-old defender, has already racked up more than 65 caps with the national team.
Six teams will compete at each tournament with only one team moving on to the Olympics. The men's toughest challenge will likely come from host team India, the top-ranked squad in the tournament. France, Poland, the United States and Italy round out the men's tournament.
On the women's side Canada will be in tough as the fourth-ranked team. South Africa, India, Italy, Ukraine and Poland will join Canada in the women's tournament.
The top two teams after round robin play will battle in a winner-take-all final with the Olympic berth on the line.
