HOCKEY star Jacob Draper is targeting a second Olympics after helping the GB men’s team secure a place in Paris 2024 at the qualifying tournament in Oman.
The former Monmouth Comprehensive School pupil, who finished fifth with GB in Tokyo and was part of the first ever Wales team to make the World Cup finals last year in India, played a key role in wins over Pakistan, Malaysia, China and New Zealand to seal their place at the Games.
Jacob, 25, played in the opening 6-1 win over Pakistan before starting against Malaysia, where GB were pegged back to 1-1 in the second quarter before running away with it 4-1.
The defender was also on the field from the off in the next game against China, who were blown away by GB’s attacking force in a 6-0 win for the Brits that saw them comfortably top Pool A.
In the semi-final, they then faced New Zealand with the winner guaranteed a spot in Paris.
It was 0-0 after the first quarter, but on 18 minutes Draper played a killer ball to break the deadlock, his aerial pass expertly received by Phil Roper at the top of the circle who calmly slotted the ball home with a reverse flick.
And within a minute it was 2-0, Sam Ward doubling the lead with a fiery drag-flick from a penalty corner.
The Kiwis pulled one back on 26 minutes, and almost levelled just before the half-time break from a penalty corner.
But in the final minute of the third quarter, GB earned a series of penalty corners and capitalised on the opportunity to extend their lead. Ward scoring his second goal resulting in a 3-1 lead.
The Kiwis gave their all in the closing stages, having back-to-back penalty corners in the last minute, but GB’s defensive unit stood tall to bag a clinical 3-1 win.
As well as qualifying for the Olympics, that put them into the final against world champions Germany, where they gave as good as they got until Martin Zwicker fired the opposition in front from a penalty corner four minutes from time.
GB secured a series of penalty corners in response, but couldn’t quite find the finishing touch, going down 1-0.