Kookaburras one win away from erasing multiple Olympic heartbreak; Boomers face USA

The one medal missing from Eddie Ockenden’s glittering career is within touching distance as the Kookaburras’ co-captain prepares for Olympic redemption on Thursday night >>

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KOOKABURRAS co-captain Eddie Ockenden is one victory away from securing the only accolade missing from his illustrious resume when Australia chases Tokyo gold Thursday night.

An Olympic title is the missing link for the multiple World Cup, World League, Champions Trophy and Commonwealth Games winner.

The 34-year-old, four-time Olympian will get the chance to put multiple heartbreak behind him when the Kookaburras face Belgium in the gold medal match starting 8pm AEST.

Australia has not won Olympic gold since Athens in 2004.

Eddie Ockenden and the Kookaburras will face Belgium in the Olympic field hockey final on Thursday night. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Ockenden and fellow Hobartian Josh Beltz, 26, helped Colin Batch’s team progress through a tight semi-final against Germany, a nation which has won medals at the last four Games, including golds in Beijing and London, and defeated Australia in the gold medal match in 1992.

Tim Brand’s fifth goal of the tournament and Blake Govers’ seventh had the Aussies 2-1 ahead for most of the match on Tuesday night, with Lachie Sharp tapping in the sealing goal to an empty net in the dying stages after the Germans had replaced their keeper to push for an equaliser.

“It was an epic win,” Ockenden said. “We came here to make the final. We’re feeling in good shape. We’re ready for it.

“Those guys in ’04 inspired a lot of us. I was a teenager back then. So if we could do that, it would be fantastic.”

Chasing their first ever Olympic title, the Belgians defeated Spain 3-1 in the quarter-final and India 5-2 in the semi.

Sharp shooter Chris Goulding and his Boomers teammates will face the powerful USA outfit in the basketball semi-finals after thumping Argentina 97-59.

Chris Goulding of Team Australia drives to the basket against Luis Scola #4 of Team Argentina during the second half of a Men's Basketball Quarterfinal game on day eleven of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Saitama Super Arena on August 03, 2021 in Saitama, Japan. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The Boomers recovered from a sluggish start against the South Americans before powering away in the last quarter, at one point pouring in 20 unanswered points in a stunning blitz which will have put the NBA-talent laden US on notice.

Goulding scored six points in 13 minutes, connecting on a pair of three-pointers, including a crucial long bomb in the second quarter as the Aussies began to wrestle back the momentum.

Meanwhile, rower Sarah Hawe has revealed mixed emotions about her Olympic debut after arriving back in Australia.

An integral member of the women’s four which won two gold medals and a silver at the last three world championships, Hawe lost her spot in the crew which went on to become Olympic champions.

Hawe raced in the women’s eight at Tokyo, which went on to finish third in the heats, fourth in the repechage and fifth in the final.

“Our performance was pretty disappointing,” she said.

Sarah Hawe of Team Australia competes during the Women's Eight Heat 2 on day one of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Sea Forest Waterway on July 24, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

“If we had a good race we genuinely felt we would rank higher than that, but we’re content to have had our best race in the final.

“Being selected into that boat [the four] for four years prior and helping in establishing that

standard was part of my legacy in that crew so to not make that and then see that result was difficult to deal with. 

“It was very good for Australia and Australian rowing to get that gold but very hard to watch when I’d been part of that boat for four years.”

Eddie starts Olympic campaign in style

TASMANIAN Eddie Ockenden has played a key role as the Australian men’s hockey team had the perfect start to its Tokyo Olympics campaign.

In his fourth Olympic Games, Ockenden claimed an assist as goals from Tim Brand, Tom Craig, Blake Govers, Aran Zalewski and Daniel Beale helped the Kookaburras to a 5-3 win against Japan on Saturday.

The No.1-ranked Kookaburras led 2-0 before the host nation responded to claim a 3-2 advantage, but the gold medal favourites dominated the second half to retake the lead.

Tim Brand scores a goal for the Kookaburras. Picture: Getty

Ockenden has become just the seventh man to play in four Olympic Games, extending his national appearance record to 373 matches.

He said the fixture against Japan was a great way to start the tournament.

“I love playing the host nation. It’s always really cool that you have that little bit more interest and support,’’ he said.

“We’re always hopeful. I’ve been to four Olympics now (and) having that experience for me, every time it’s been exciting, a completely different team, a different feeling, a different everything.

“We’ve been expecting to do well and I think any hockey tournament the Kookaburras go to, for ourselves we want to do it, we want to go there and win.”

Ockenden has become just the seventh man to play in four Olympic Games and extended his national appearance record to 373 matches. Picture: Getty

Ockenden has won two bronze medals and had a sixth-placed finish during his previous Olympic campaigns, plus multiple World Cup, World League, Champions Trophy and Commonwealth Games titles.

The 34-year-old said he was excited by the potential of the youthful Kookaburras team.

“Over the last four years we’ve had a real change and have got a really young group now,’’ Ockenden said.

“The younger generation is definitely very unique so we’ve had a generational shift in my time. That’s something really interesting to see.

“We’re just a group of guys who love playing hockey and we really enjoy being around each other.”

Tom Craig battles to get past opponents Genki Mitani and Masaki Ohashi. Picture: Getty

The Kookaburras team also includes Hobart talent Josh Beltz, who will be hoping to make his Olympic debut when the team faces India in its second pool match on Sunday night.

Meanwhile, Tasmanian rower Sarah Hawe’s women’s eight team will contest the repechage of the event on Wednesday after finishing 10 seconds off the pace in their heat on Saturday.

The USA and Romanian teams, which have won the past six Olympic titles, were the first teams across the line ahead of Australia.

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