The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has selected 13 players to form the Australian ice hockey team to play at the Winter Youth Olympic Games, Gangwon, South Korea, 2024.
Annika Schmitz, Elin Schmitz, Georgia Watts, Grace Kalambokas, Gwendolyn Ellis, Hannah Cryan, Jasmin Mayor, Johanna Meissner, Katie Meyer, Olivia Gargano, Poppy Noone, Sophie Reader and Tara Baker, make up the team in the 3 v 3 version at the tournament in Gangwon.
Australia earned its spot at WYOG after the International Ice Hockey Federation calculated its Youth Rankings, with Australia ranked 24 in the world for the combined U18 Men and Women teams.
Off the back of a stellar 2023 on the international stage which gathered gold for the U18 Women and U20 Men at World Championships, qualification for WYOG caps off a remarkable year.
Ryan O’Handley – President of IHA
“We are so proud to qualify for the Winter Youth Olympics. The team that coach Remi Harvey has been able to select with the AOC is as good as you will get. Since qualification was confirmed, the whole ice hockey community has been so supportive and excited for this group of players. We can’t wait for the team to be able to experience an Olympic Games, not many people have done that in our sport in Australia.
Remi Harvey – Head Coach
“The determination from the group has been outstanding. My simple message to the selected players is to be proud of what they have achieved and really double down now and keep working hard.
The ice hockey 3v3 tournament will commence on 20 January 2023 at Gangneung Hockey Centre, with the medal matches taking place on 25 January 2023.
The team will hold a final mini camp in Sydney in the coming weeks. The 3v3 format is a new style of play that is unfamiliar to many, however, since July the team have been working hard on training drills, watching video, and liaising with players such as Courtney Mahoney that represented Australian in a mixed team in Lausanne, 2020.
The team will be led and supported by the following coaches and staff. Remi Harvey (Head Coach), Don MacDonald (Assistant Coach), Diane Doornbos (Team Manager) and Jayden Ryan (Equipment Manager).