Four players from Holcombe played their part in helping Great Britain’s men’s hockey team qualify for Paris 2024.

Ollie Payne, David Ames, Phil Roper and Nick Bandurak helped Britain to a podium finish at the FIH Olympic Qualifiers in Muscat, Oman while Hayden Phillips is also heading to the Games with New Zealand.

By Lucas Ball

Great Britain won all three of their pool games with all four Holcombe players involved in each match as GB comfortably progressed to the last-four by beating Pakistan 6-1, Malaysia 4-1 and China 6-0.

Bandurak was on the scoresheet against Pakistan in the opening match alongside former Holc Sam Ward (2), Jack Waller, Will Calnan and Zach Wallace.

Another Ward brace followed in game two with Wallace and Calnan netting again before Holcs man Roper netted in the final pool game against China as Ward added a third brace in as many matches.

Wallace also netted twice and Calnan added his third of the tournament to complete the rout as Paul Revington’s GB side topped Pool A.

New Zealand won two out of their three matches in Pool B, meanwhile, to finish behind world champions Germany on goal difference.

Phillips started all three matches - Greg Nicol’s side started with a 3-1 win over Chile - captained by ex-Holcombe player Jose Maldonado - before drawing 2-2 against Germany, Phillips scoring the equaliser.

That left New Zealand needing a 10-goal win to finish top of the group against Canada, but they won 4-0 to finish second and set-up a semi-final meeting with Great Britain - Phillips then facing his fellow Holcombe women’s coach and teammate Bandurak and other teammates Payne, Ames and Roper.

Roper, Ames, Payne and Phillips all started that semi-final clash, the winner guaranteed a spot at Paris 2024. Roper and then Ward scored two in two minutes in Q2 as Revington’s side took control of the tie, before Kane Russell halved the deficit.

Ward added his eighth goal in just four matches late in the third period as GB booked their ticket to Paris, setting up a clash with Germany for the gold medal.

Phillips and New Zealand, though, recovered quickly against Pakistan just a day later with qualification still on the line.

The Black Sticks were trailing with just eight minutes left on the clock but managed to score twice late on to break Pakistan hearts and send Phillips and New Zealand to the Olympics.

Great Britain’s women - featuring four former Holcombe players in Laura Roper (formerly Unsworth), Miriam Pritchard, Sarah Robertson and Sarah Jones - also secured qualification in Valencia, Spain over the weekend.