HOCKEY: Pete is cherishing hat-trick dreams (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

HOCKEY: Pete is cherishing hat-trick dreams

11:00am Friday 25th May 2012 in Sport

Wootton Bassett veteran Pete Crayford is targeting a third triumph at the Grand Masters Hockey World Cup in Oxford this summer.

The 67-year-old sweeper is already a two-time world champion and will again represent England in the great grand masters category (for over 65s) in August.

Crayford helped his country to successes in South Africa in 2008 and Hong Kong in 2004 and the former Swindon and Marlborough player said: “I just want this opportunity of a third gold and then I can die happy.

“To go for a hat-trick of World Cup medals is fairly special from my perspective.

“It’s been a fantastic opportunity and a great privilege to play at that level, and then to get to the pinnacle is just unbelievable.

“The last two World Cups have been in South Africa and Hong Kong, so one of the advantages of it being in Oxford is it will give my family the chance to watch me.

“They have never seen me win a World Cup and there’s no guarantee we will win it again, but we’re in with a chance.

“I suppose we’re favourites but whenever you play Australia at any sport it’s always a war, and then there’s Holland and Germany as well.”

This year is the seventh since Crayford was first selected to play veterans’ hockey for his country.

He spent ten years at Marlborough and a couple of seasons at Swindon in his younger days, but now plays for the over 50s side at Eastcote in London.

He said: “It’s an hour-and-a-quarter journey from home but it’s only through doing that that you get quality opposition – locally it just isn’t there.

“You need regular competitive games and the younger players certainly keep me on my toes.”