Olympic hockey star: England young bloods make me feel like teenager

Olympic hockey champion Laura Unsworth says she is still mistaken for a teenager despite being an “oldie” in the England squad .

The 30-year-old midfielder is one of only two London 2012 bronze medal-winning players in the squad for the Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup, along with self-confessed “grandma” Alex Danson, 33.

Unsworth said it would be “amazing” to defend her Olympic title at the Japan 2020 Games , but also that she is considering the “daunting” prospect of retirement from the sport.

She said: “There is a lot of us [in the squad] who have been around for a long time — we call ourselves the oldies.

“We joke about it because we were sitting on the Tube recently, and I think there was about three of us ‘oldies’, and someone, a member of the public, asked if we were the under-18s squad. I was like, ‘No, but … oh good, my facials are working.’

“They [the younger players] keep us young — if you are surrounded by young people you don’t feel as old.”

Unsworth, who is originally from Sutton Coldfield in the East Midlands, added: “It is nice having the old team around but then it is great to have fresh talent with us too. It is refreshing to have that new blood.”

She said she would only play at the Olympics in Japan in two years’ time if her “body allows”, adding: “It would be amazing to be there. But I will take it how it comes”.

Unsworth, who now lives in Parsons Green and plays for East Grinstead in the hockey league, said: “Retirement … I have been thinking about it — but I am not sure what I will do after hockey. I have been going to careers fairs and attending seminars about CV-writing. It is daunting, as I have never done anything else. I have known nothing different.”

Unsworth was speaking ahead of the World Cup — with England yesterday revealing their kit at an event at the Adidas store in Westfield London .

This week, the team for the tournament was also announced — and it features eight members of the gold medal-winning squad for Rio, including Unsworth and Danson.

Unsworth said it was an “amazing” feeling to be participating in a major competition in London for the second time in her career.

“I feel so fortunate that I have had a career that’s had two home championships … I know it will be special to play in a home World Cup.

“I have been spoilt as I have had two major competitions at home in my career — London 2012 and the World Cup.”

She said the team were ready to compete, adding: “We have been doing a lot of trial matches at the stadium and so we have been able to see the site getting bigger and growing. Each time I am there I am like — ‘Ah, I just want to get going now. Bring it on.’”