Jamie Dwyer has got all the trophies in his cupboard which a hockey player dreams of while picking up the stick and the legendary Australian now aspires a "fairytale" finish to his illustrious career with a gold medal in 2016 Rio Olympics.
Jamie Dwyer has got all the trophies in his cupboard which a hockey player dreams of while picking up the stick and the legendary Australian now aspires a "fairytale" finish to his illustrious career with a gold medal in 2016 Rio Olympics.
Dwyer, the greatest-ever hockey player from Australia, has one gold and two bronze medals in the Olympics, two World Cup gold medals, three Commonwealth Games gold, six Champions Trophy titles and two Oceania cup gold besides two silver medals each in the World Cup and Champions Trophy to his credit.
But the 36-year-old diminutive striker is eyeing another yellow metal in next year's Rio Olympics, in what he believes would be a "fairytale" end to his 15-year-old career.
"Gold medal in Rio," was his prompt reply when asked what else more he desires to achieve in his career.
"It will be a good finish. I would like to go there and have success. We have a very good team at the moment and I think I can play a role in the team. To be able to play four Olympics would be awesome. Olympics is the pinnacle of our sport," Dwyer told PTI in an interview.
Asked whether he would like to sign off the way cricketer Michael Clarke bid adieu to his ODI career by leading Australia to their fifth World Cup title, Dwyer, who yesterday became his country's most-capped hockey player following his 322nd appearance against Canada in the 24th Azlan Shah Cup, said, "Why not? Definitely, win and finish would be perfect. It would be a fairytale."
Till last year Dwyer never had that thought in his mind but a snub from the Australian squad for Glasgow Commonwealth Games made him decide to prolong his retirement plans.
"The way it was ending for me wasn't really nice. If I would have played in the Commonwealth Games, I would have definitely retired. I didn't go there. Things with myself and coach (Ric Charlesworth) weren't very good. I didn't enjoy my hockey last year," said the record five-time world hockey player of the year.
"But I thought if I can keep doing it physically why not give it a shot. I want to enjoy as much I can over the journey to Rio whether I make it or not I don't know but I am gonna give it a crack. 100 per cent Rio would be my last irrespective of whether I make the team or not," Dwyer said.
Not many know Dwyer at one time aspired to become a cricketer but the prospect of representing the nation in Olympics forced him to shelve the plan.
Dwyer excelled in both hockey and cricket in childhood. In his mid-teens he scored 199 not out and 125 in two A-grade finals in Rockhampton, which led to the offer of a cricket scholarship at a major country college for which he would have to move to Brisbane.
But that never happened as the thought of never being able to compete at the Olympics didn't encourage him.
"I was pretty handy," he said about his cricketing exploits.
"I don't know how good I would have been in cricket, I am not sure. But I watched the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and I wanted to go to the Olympic Games and win the gold medal. Then I started to enjoy hockey a lot more than cricket as it is fast and entertaining.
"I would have liked to be involved in sports. I like all sports whether its cricket, golf everything. My hand eye co-ordination is pretty good, so I would have tried to get into cricket or golf," he said.
Dwyer yesterday surpassed Jay Stacy to become Australia's most-capped hockey player and also scored his 207th goal in the Kookburras 7-0 win over Canada.
"It's a great honour to be the most-capped player for Australia. It is something I guess I will look back after my career is finish, be proud of what I have achieved," he said.
"I held Jay very highly. So it feels a bit weird passing Jay's record because Jay was one of the main reasons I wanted to play for the Kookaburras. He was a role model to me. There were posters of Jay in my wall while I was growing up. He is a true legend," said Dwyer, who became a father of a baby girl last week.
"Last week I became father of a beautiful girl named Zara. I have got two elder boys and I was expecting another boy but it was a nice surprise. Now my family is complete," Dwyer signed off.
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