Another call up for UJ hockey star

The South African national women’s hockey team will have the skills and abilities of the University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Sportswoman of the Year and Olympian, Kristen Paton at the 2022 Afcon hockey tournament.

The tournament will take place in Ghana from January 17 and 23 and will be the third time Paton plays in the competition. Paton said, “It is always an honour to don the national jersey and I think we have a massive task in keeping SA women’s hockey afloat this year after losing all our games in the Tokyo Olympic Games. There is a lot that lies ahead for this group. I’m anticipating a highly competitive tournament.”

Paton joined UJ Hockey in 2013 when she was in Grade 11 at Northcliff High School. She is one of the hockey players who have consistently represented South Africa in continental and global competitions in recent years.

The fifth-year chiropractic student-athlete has 38 caps with the SA team and made her South African senior national team debut at Afcon which she has described as a valuable continental tournament for professional players. “I had anticipated the call up as I have worked hard. I am proud of my work ethic, I have set the bar high for myself and it is evidently seen in the way I have continued to play for my country.”

UJ Hockey women’s head coach, Tsoanelo Pholo said she had anticipated Paton’s call up as she was part of the SA hockey women’s team in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Pholo added, “We take pride in seeing our players reaching such important personal milestones. It is great to see them representing the Gauteng province, and even greater when they represent the country. UJ hockey has a jewel in Paton and that shows the quality of the programme that we have at the university. It is an inspiration for others at UJ, not only at UJ Hockey but UJ Sport as a whole.”