How Celebrated Coach Alyson Annan was Instrumental in Driving China Hockey Eves to Silver Medal Finish at Paris Olympics

China’s women’s hockey team enjoyed an incredible run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, picking up a ‘much-against expectations’ silver medal – their first Olympic hockey medal in 16 years – replicating their silver medal efforts at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 8th ranked Chinese outfit made all and sundry sit up and take notice of them as they wore a ‘transformed look’ at the business end of the tournament, where they upset the applecart of 5th ranked Australia in a brilliant come-from-behind victory, before going on to nip 4th ranked Belgium’s medal-winning aspirations in the bud in the semifinals, and eventually throwing a serious fight to the invincible world number one Netherlands in the final, where they sprang a surprise securing an early lead and maintaining that lead well over three quarters before Yibbi Jansen forced the contest into a shootout where the Dutch women had the last laugh.

The Paris Olympic campaign wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for Alyson Annan-coached China hockey eves. The Asian giants were inflicted three defeats by higher ranked Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium in the pool phase on account of which they had finished 4th in pool A, and squared up against pool B toppers in the quarterfinals. The Chinese side ripped out the form book in the knockout phase, causing one surprise after another. The silver medal-winning performance of the China hockey eves at the 2024 Paris Olympics is an adequate statement that they are fast emerging as a women’s hockey powerhouse.

China under legendary Australian two-time Olympian gold medallist and two-time World Cup winner Alyson Annan, undoubtedly has made massive strides. Ever since Alyson took charge in mid-2022 at the fag end of the 2021-2022 Pro League, the red-and-yellow brigade have been showing signs of coming together as a strong unit. “We knew it would be tough to put it across Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium in Pool A, and so we were prepared to face off against either Australia and Argentina in the quarterfinal. So finishing 4th in our pool was pretty much on expected lines for us,” says coach Alyson Annan in a chat with Hockey Passion.

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The Chinese women capped off their best-ever performance at the 2023-24 Pro League, finishing 5th, ahead of 5th ranked Australia and 3rd ranked Great Britain. They stunned the likes of Australia, Germany, and Belgium along the way posting eye-catching victories. China hockey eves sustained their good form into the 2023 Asian Games at Hangzhou – their first Asiad hockey gold medal in 13 years and fourth overall.

The 51-year-old ace coach believes China executed their plans in the knockout phase. “We really stuck to our plans against Australia in the quarterfinal – we have played a lot against the Hockeyroos and their style of play suits us. The manner in which we clawed our way back from being a goal down showed the tenacity of our side. The semifinal win over Belgium was also highly satisfying,” says the former Aussie stalwart, who was instrumental in Australia winning the 1996 Olympics gold medal at Atlanta.

Alyson, whose contract with the Chinese team ends in September 2024, shares her perspectives on the final against the Netherlands. “Look, we went into the final with nothing to lose, while the Dutch went into the contest thinking they would win by a convincing margin. Our girls fought hard and were ahead for more than three quarters- we were on par with the Netherlands, in terms of circle penetrations as well.

The massive Paris Olympics achievement has propelled China hockey to 6th in FIH world rankings – surely, the Asian giants are primed for bigger things going forward.

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