Hockey star returns on top

Capel hockey star Anna Roberts has returned to Australia this week as a world champion.

The South West indoor hockey sensation helped Australia win the Women’s Indoor World Open in Vienna, Austria.

Australia defeated Vienna in the final 3-2 in what was a gripping and tactical contest.

The 23-year-old Roberts has also represented WA in field hockey but she said indoor hockey was her passion for its speed and ability to rebound the ball off the sideboards making it more entertaining and high scoring.

“It was a great opportunity to represent the country and I was more excited than nervous,” she said.

“We had a great team and were expected to do well after winning all of the round stages but the final was tough.”

In her first appearance in the green and gold Anna played centre and was instrumental in Australia’s success, next stop the 2021 world cup.

“I was happy to demonstrate that I can play at that level and I did score a goal against Austria during the group stages,” she said.

“Indoor hockey is different because you can’t lift the ball so you’ve got to have better skills to get around people. It’s important to have good vision and a close connection with your teammates, we came together really well considering we’d only just met each other.”

Roberts’ next challenge is the Australian Indoor Hockey Festival in Woolongong beginning on January 4.

Australian World Open captain and goal keeper Lizzie Duguid will also represent WA with Australian teammates Tayla Britton, Maddie De Silva and Roberts.

WA are the current open national champions and Roberts said she was looking forward to defending their title.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get to this level if it weren’t for my parents who used to drive me to Perth for training when I was still in school,” she said.

“Also the Busselton Hockey Stadium Committee has always supported me since I was in the Capel under 8s.”

Busselton Hockey Stadium manager Robyn McNeil said the committee were proud of watching Roberts’s progression.

“We are so very proud of Anna from her starting with Busselton Hockey to now being a truly inspiring Australian player,” she said.