Last Sunday, in Antwerp (Belgium), while the Belgian national team celebrated the European women's hockey title, the organization announced that the award for best player was not assigned to any finalist. It fell into the hands of Georgina Oliva (Barcelona, 1990), who had conquered the bronze hours after Spain's victory over England in the penalty shootout. «I didn't expect it at all. It was an immense joy ”, the Catalan confesses to ELMUNDO while hurrying her vacations before the start of the preparation of the Pre-Olympic.
'Gigi', as her most intimate circle knows her, was born with a stick under her arm. Daughter of Jordi Oliva , Olympic in Los Angeles'84 and Seoul'88, and sister of Roc Oliva , silver medal in Beijing'08, hardly remembers her beginnings in this sport. «It was small, very small. I played at home with my brothers and we used the piano as a goal. Then I started with only five years old at Atletic Terrasa. It was a club where my parents were going to spend the day and the children played there. That's how I started my hockey adventure, ”he recalls. Later, with only 18 years, he attended the selection precisely at the Beijing Games, where he won an Olympic diploma and was able to celebrate the success of his older brother in the first person.
Now, at 28, and with more than 220 internationalities behind her, the captain of the 'RedSticks' combines hockey with her work as an aeronautical engineer. After four seasons in the Kampong of the Dutch league - considered the best competition in the world - he returns to Spain to prepare the way to Tokyo. At the end of October the Pre-Olympic will be held, which will award the tickets for the Olympic event next summer. Therefore, and to be exclusively focused on training, he has decided to quit his job as an engineer. At least for now.
The extensive record of 'Gigi' makes her one of the best players in the history of Spanish grass hockey. The bronze of last Sunday is joined by the one achieved last year in the World Cup. In addition, at the individual level, the previous season was nominated by the International Hockey Federation for best player in the world - he finished in fifth position - and this course is again among the favorites after his brilliant role in the European. «I don't know if I'm the best player in Europe, I'm not going to say it. However, I do believe that I have been the most fit player in this championship, ”says the already new midfielder of the Junior Club, of the Iberdrola League.
Ambitious, nonconformist, - "the team has to improve for the Pre-Olympic, but we have matured a lot", it is demanded despite the bronze in the European-, he confesses that this fighting character has built it thanks to grass hockey. "The sport has marked my personality, my ability to sacrifice and always try until the end," says the former Dutch Kampong player. Before he played for Atletic Terrasa, Belgian Leuven and RC Polo.
The story of that girl whose stick was raised above her head has become the story of the best European player. And who knows if next February, in the history of the best player in the world.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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