Paris 2024 Olympics: Aran Zalewski to lead Kookaburras’ charge in France
The 16-member Australian men’s hockey team for the Paris 2024 Olympics was announced by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) on Monday. The Kookaburras will be led by Aran Zalewski at this year’s Summer Games.
The Australian men’s team for Paris 2024 boasts plenty of experience, with each of the selected players having played over 50 international matches.
Veteran Eddie Ockenden is set to make his fifth appearance at the Olympics, making him the first Australian hockey player to do so.
"Every Olympic campaign has had its own differences and its own feelings. You want to take some lessons from the past and try to improve and use your experience to your advantage. But going to the Olympics is the coolest thing that we can do as hockey players," Ockenden told Hockey Australia.
The Kookaburras squad for Paris 2024 includes a couple of Olympic hockey family connections. Jake Harvie’s grandfather Gordon Pearce is a three-time hockey Olympian while Blake Govers’ brother Kieran is a Rio 2016 Olympian.
Tom Wickham, whose goal in the Tokyo 2020 men’s hockey final dragged the match into a shootout, will lead the forward line alongside Olympics debutant Ky Allott and Blake Glovers.
Andrew Charter is the only goalkeeper named in the 16-man squad. Johan Durst, who was a part of the Commonwealth Games gold-winning team in 2022, has been named in the reserves.
Kookaburras head coach Colin Batch has picked Flynn Oglivie, Lachlan Sharp and Jacob Whetton among midfield options alongside skipper Zalewski. All four of them played at Tokyo 2020.
The Australian men’s hockey team last won an Olympic gold at Athens 2004. They came close in Tokyo last edition but settled for silver as Belgium emerged victorious in the shootout.
The Kookaburras will head into Paris 2024 fresh off winning the FIH Pro League 2023-24, where they edged out the Netherlands by three points.
Their quest for a second Olympic gold will begin against Rio 2016 champions Argentina on July 27 in Pool B. Reigning champions Belgium, India, Irelands and neighbours New Zealand are the other teams drawn in the group.
Australia’s Paris 2024 men’s hockey team
Goalkeeper: Andrew Charter
Defenders: Joshua Beltz, Matthew Dawson, Jake Harvie, Jeremy Hayward, Edward Ockenden, Corey Weyer
Midfielders: Flynn Oglivie, Lachlan Sharp, Jacob Whetton, Aran Zalewski (captain)
Forwards/Strikers: Tim Brand, Thomas Craig, Blake Glovers, Tom Wickham, Ky Willott
Reserves: Johan Durst, Nathan Ephraums, Tim Howard