Former Mackay Arsenals player Claire Colwill named to Olympic Team

A rising sports star headed to Paris for the 2024 Olympics got her start on a Mackay club team at the age of 12, playing against adults. We spoke to the coach about this extraordinary young woman.

Mackay born and raised Claire Colwill joins the Olympic Team.

One of Mackay’s 20 under 20 sports stars for 2024 has been named to the Australian Olympic Hockey Team, continuing an impressive sporting career that started at the age of 12.

Claire Colwill got her start in field hockey at Arsenals Hockey Club under the tutelage of coach Courtland Pace.

“I first met Claire when she was just 12 years old, I was coaching her mother at the time,” Mr Pace said.

“We invited her up to train in the A Grade and weeks later she scored her first goal in her debut game.”

Claire was eligible to play senior A Grade hockey at the age of 12, despite the fact that the cut off is 13, due to her birthday being in September.

In her debut game Ms Colwill faced off against adults in their 20s and 30s yet managed to excel.

“She out trained, outplayed and outcompeted everyone,” Mr Pace said.

Mr Pace can tell us that, from a young age, Ms Colwills singular goal was to make the Olympic team and compete for Australia.

Mackay hockey players Claire Colwill and Jordan Bliss were selected into the Australian Under-16 to compete in South Africa. Photo: Aidan Cureton.

“She was dedicated to her dream,” he said.

“This is a kid who when she wasn’t at the gym she would be running, training or have her head stuck in a book.

“She was a straight-a student!”

Claire left the Mackay sporting scene on a high note , leading the Arsenals Hockey Club open ladies team to their first senior premiership since the 1950s.

“You knew right away she was going to make it to the Olympics,” Mr Pace said, proudly.

Mackay-born Hockeyroo Claire Colwill during during the quarter-final match between Argentina and England at the FIH Hockey Women's World Cup. Photo: Florencia Tan Jun

Since then Ms Colwill has played for the Brisbane Blaze and travelled to Chile to compete as a member of the under 21 Australian Jillaroos for the 2023 Women’s Hockey World Cup.

She was named to the Australian National Team, the Hockeyroos, in 2022 and, as of January 2024, registered 34 appearances and two goals.

Mr Pace encourages Ms Colwill to “enjoy the moment” of competing in the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“Claire’s the only Olympic athlete I’ve ever trained,” Mr Pace said.

“You can tell her skill level straightaway.”