By Mohamed Hamza

Soon-to-be Olympian James Albery may be enjoying an international renaissance, but the Hertford hockey star admitted he never thought he would represent Team GB at a Games.    

The Englishman first burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old when he was named the Hockey Writers’ Club Junior Player of the Year in 2011, earning a spot on the GB programme six years later before injuries ended his initial spell at Bisham Abbey.  

Having since broken into the senior set-up, featuring in the World Cup and EuroHockey Championships in 2023, Albery next heads to Paris 2024 as part of the 16-strong squad set to take the French capital by storm – an achievement he never thought would happen.  

He said: “It’s not been the smoothest of journeys. There’s been some injuries and time away from the squad which was tough but it made me more hungry to come back.  

“To stake my claim and guarantee myself a spot in this team was something I’ve looked at doing for a number of years and it’ll be a really proud moment for me to be able to step out there and play for Team GB at an Olympics.  

“It’s something I’ve dreamt of for a long time, something I’ve thought would never happen but to step out there will be really special. Every time you get to play for Great Britain is special but it being an Olympics makes it a little bit more.”  

Albery is one of seven new faces within the GB Olympic set-up, and while he may lack the résumé of soon-to-be three-time Olympians David Ames and Sam Ward, the Olympic debutant will add his own commanding voice to the locker room.  

The defender stood in for Ames as captain for periods across 2022 and 2023 and Albery hopes to use his standing to help his teammates secure the men’s side's first medal in field hockey since Seoul 1988.  

“Amesy [David Ames] is a guy who leads by example," said Albery. "He’s not the loud captain that you might see in other teams barking orders. He’s very much the guy you look to lead us out on the field by the way he plays.

“My role is to be the guy who occasionally gets us going on the pitch, the guy who can be heard and making sure everyone’s on the same page.

“In all teams you need a balance of leadership and hopefully I can provide a little bit of that."

Team GB open their campaign against Spain on 27 July, and can look forward to bouts with reigning world champions Germany and reigning European champions Netherlands in Group A.  

Also on the horizon are France and South Africa, with the top four at the pool’s conclusion advancing to the quarter-finals.  

The refurbished Stade Yves-du-Manoir – the only venue to feature at both the 2024 and 1924 Games – will host every game. 

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