Amy Korner

Having played 51 internationals and with the London Olympics looming, Ipswich hockey player Amy Korner had one of the toughest decisions to make.

She’s decided to retire from international competition.

Korner, 25, yesterday revealed she was giving up top-level hockey to focus on other aspects of her life.

After missing out on selection in the Hockeyroos Olympic squad, Korner had to weigh up whether to battle on and hope for a lucky break, or move into other areas of her life.

Yet to tell national coach Adam Commens of her decision, Korner said she could no longer justify the demanding training if it amounted to Olympic disappointment.

“This year has been a really hard year for me and I made huge improvements in my fitness and in every aspect of my game,” the Flinders View striker said.

“I’m at a stage where I don’t think I can get any better and I’d need to, to push my way into the team.”

Read the rest at The Queensland Times.

Amy Korner

Amy Korner’s Olympic dream flickers despite the Ipswich hockey striker missing the latest Australian Oceania team.

After being dropped from the Hockeyroos side earlier this year, Korner missed selection in the national team playing New Zealand in this week’s Oceania Cup-Olympic qualifier series in Hobart.

Hockeyroos coach Adam Commens stuck with a mainly youthful 19-player squad preparing for next year’s London Olympics.

However, Korner was yesterday upbeat after being named in the Australian team playing a four-game series against India in Perth later this month. Australia’s Olympic squad will be chosen after that series.

“I’m pretty excited about that actually,” said Korner, 25.

“While the games in Hobart would have been good, they weren’t that important.

“There’s opportunities now in the games against India and I’m also playing in a (development) series against China.

“To still be in the mix is a good thing.”

Korner represented a national Gold team that played matches in Melbourne last week.

While her Green team opponents were stronger, Korner said coach Commens commented on her improvement.

The Ipswich striker heads optimistically into the Indian series, starting on October 14.

“The Indian games and the games against China, there’s still plenty of time during October,” she said, hoping to extend her 45-match international career.

“That will actually be my last chance. I’m still hanging in there.”

Via The Queensland Times.