Sheppey hockey player Claire Hales is days away from fulfilling her dream of playing for her country - after Covid looked to have dashed her chances.

Hales, who plays club hockey for Sittingbourne and lives in Halfway, won through a rigorous selection process to be picked for the under-45s England side before the pandemic took that opportunity away. Now, aged 50, she’s thrilled to have been given a second chance.

She’s expected to fly to South Africa next Wednesday (28th) to take part in the Masters World Cup in Cape Town.

“It was amazing to have been chosen again,” she said, ahead of her flight. “It is quite a tough selection process for those who went for trials.

“When I was younger I was quite happy playing club hockey, but always within me I wanted to do something for England.

“I played lots of other sport at county level - badminton, squash, cross-country, athletics. But with work and children, I never had the chance or time to do it. Now my children are grown up I thought I would give it a go!

“I had always wanted to play a high level. Three years ago I discovered Masters Hockey, that was the 2019/20 season. I got selected to go to Cape Town but then we had Covid. That was in the over-45 ladies and it got postponed. This is what it is now.

“I had to go through the trials again at the end of last year, then they selected a squad in January. Thankfully I got selected again.

“I am so excited to finally achieve my ambition of playing for England.”

Earlier this year Hales won a bronze medal with South East Masters at the England Over-50s Championships in Nottingham. The South East team were selected with players from Kent, Surrey and Sussex.

Mum-of-two Hales, who teaches at the Academy of Woodlands, Gillingham, has missed the start of the domestic season with Sittingbourne, where she plays for the 1sts, as she was keen to avoid injury. It’s a club she has been with for 35 years, starting out from when they were Rodmersham and then Old Bordenians.

Her international involvement is self-funded, which has included trips up to the Midlands on a monthly basis for training. It has helped that Ashford’s Jo Thompson is also in the squad and they travel together.

Even the kits and the flights have had to be paid for and the team have a donations page for anyone who is willing to help out with the cost. It is estimated that each squad member will need to raise £3,500 to represent their country at this year’s World Cup. The fundraising page can be found here.