Rachael Lynch

Last updated

Rachael Lynch
Hockeyroos 2013 (9209583725).jpg
Lynch (left) with Toni Cronk
Personal information
Born (1986-07-02) 2 July 1986 (age 37)
Warrandyte, Victoria, Australia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Weight 68 kg (150 lb)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club Victorian Vipers
National team
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2006– Australia 222 (0)
Medal record
Women's field hockey
Representing Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
FIH World Cup
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2014 The Hague Team
Commonwealth Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2010 New Delhi Team
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2014 Glasgow Team
FIH Pro League
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2019 Amsterdam Team
FIH World League
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2012–13 Tucumán Team
Champions Trophy
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2009 Sydney Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2018 Changzhou Team
Oceania Cup
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2013 Stratford
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2015 Stratford
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 Sydney
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2011 Hobart
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2019 Rockhampton

Rachael Anne Lynch OLY [1] (born 2 July 1986) [2] is a field hockey player from Australia. [3]

Contents

Personal life

Rachael Lynch was born and raised in Warrandyte, a suburb of Melbourne. [3]

She worked as a nurse in neuro-rehabilitation at the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth, [4] and previously worked at the Royal Perth Hospital. [5]

Career

Domestic leagues

Australian Hockey League

Prior to the disbandment of the Australian Hockey League (AHL), Lynch was a member of the Victorian Vipers. Throughout her career with the team, Lynch won the national title on two occasions, in 2012 and 2017. [6] [7]

Hockey One

After the introduction of the Hockey One League in 2019, Lynch was named as a member of the HC Melbourne team in the inaugural tournament. [8] The team finished second, losing the final in penalties. [9]

Hockeyroos

Lynch made her senior international debut for the Hockeyroos in 2006, in a test match against England. [3] She won a silver medal with the team in 2009 at the Champions Trophy in Sydney. [10]

Lynch has medalled three times at Commonwealth Games, winning gold in 2010 and 2014, as well as silver in 2018. [11] [12] [10] She also medalled at five consecutive Oceania Cups, winning three golds and two silvers from 2011 to 2019. [3]

Lynch appeared in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. [5]

During first season of the FIH Pro League, Lynch reached a career milestone, becoming the most capped goalkeeper to play for the Australian national team, a record previously set at 207 caps by Rachel Imison. [13] [14]

In December 2020, the Hockeyroos selection panel dropped Lynch from the national squad for 2021. This move angered many in the Australian hockey community[ who? ], and essentially ended Lynch's career just 12 months after she won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award.

In April 2021, Lynch won her appeal and returned to the hockeyroos.

In June 2021, Lynch was selected as the keeper to represent Australia in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She discusses in a podcast details of the time between being dropped, and making it back!

The Hockeyroos lost 1-0 to India in the quarterfinals and therefore were not in medal contention. [15]

Recognition

Since the introduction of the Goalkeeping Award in the FIH Player of the Year Awards in 2014, Lynch has been nominated on three occasions. [16]

In 2019, Lynch won the award for the first time. [17]

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References

  1. "Olympians for Life". World Olympians Association . Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  2. "Team Details – Australia". tms.fih.ch. International Hockey Federation . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Rachael Lynch". hockey.org.au. Hockey Australia . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  4. "Hockey Saving goals and bettering lives Rachael Lynch". athletesvoice.com.au. Athlete's Voice. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Rachael Lynch". olympics.com.au. Australian Olympic Committee . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. "VICTORIA WIN THE 2012 WOMEN'S AUSTRALIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE-SAM SCORES !!". footscrayhockey.com.au. Footscray Hockey Club . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  7. "LYNCH Rachael". hockeyaustralia.altiusrt.com. Hockey Australia . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  8. "HC Melbourne – Women's Team". hockeyone.com.au. Hockey One. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  9. "Hockey One Grand Final: Hockey Club Melbourne lose thrilling shootout with Brisbane Blaze". heraldsun.com.au. Herald Sun. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  10. 1 2 "LYNCH Rachael". tms.fih.ch. International Hockey Federation . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  11. "Rachael LYNCH". results.gc2018.com. GoldCoast2018 . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  12. "RACHAEL LYNCH". commonwealthgames.com.au. Commonwealth Games. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  13. "LYNCH Rachael Goal Keeper 27". fihproleague.com. FIH Pro League . Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  14. "Late Goal Ends Hockeyroos' Winning Run". hockey.org.au. Hockey Australia. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  15. "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
  16. "BEST GOALKEEPER". fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  17. "Rachael Lynch crowned FIH Goalkeeper of the Year". hockeyvictoria.org.au. Hockey Victoria. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.