Avoca Beach athlete Poppy Noone is headed for Gangwon, South Korea, early next year to compete in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games (WYOG) as part of the 13-strong Australian team.
The 13 athletes are the first Australians selected of an expected team of 53 set to compete among 1,900 youth athletes from 70 countries from January 19 to February 1.
Poppy, who is 14, plays for the Macquarie Bears Bantams and Stingrays and attends St Joseph’s Catholic College at East Gosford.
After seeing how much fun her brother was having playing ice hockey, Poppy decided to give the sport a go and was immediately hooked.
Her career highlights include winning gold at the 2022 Ginsberg State Championship and the 2022 Scurfield Cup Tournament.
Poppy also received the 2022 Peewee Macquarie Bears Team Player’s Player award.
While Australian ice hockey players have previously competed at WYOG in individual skills competitions and in mixed-nation teams, this will be the first all-Australian ice hockey team to represent the nation at a Youth Olympic Games.
General Manager of Ice Hockey Australia Adam Woolnough said it was an amazing feeling to nominate an Australian team to participate in the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
“To all those before and to the ice hockey community now at local rinks coaching, volunteering and playing, this is a collective achievement,” he said.
“I know the team will represent Australia … with pride and humility and come away with lifelong memories.”
Head coach Remi Harvey said the determination from the group had been outstanding.
“My simple message to the selected players is to be proud of what they have achieved and really double down now and keep working hard,” he said.
“We’re going to be playing against some great hockey players and will be taking on an experience of a lifetime.”
The ice hockey 3×3 tournament will commence on January 20 at Gangneung Hockey Centre, with the medal matches taking place on January 25.
Australian Ice Hockey players have previously won four medals at the WYOG, with Sharnita Crompton winning bronze in the inaugural Individual Skills Challenge in Innsbruck 2012, and Courtney Mahoney, Sai Lake and Nikki Sharp medalling in mixed-nation teams at Lausanne 2020.