26 November 2019

Charlotte Watson and Leah Wilkinson called up to GB Hockey squad as they bid to defend Olympic title at Tokyo 2020

Scotland's Charlotte Watson and Wales captain Leah Wilkinson have been called up to the GB hockey team to take the places of Erica Sanders and Suzy Petty.

Wilkinson, 34, has made 169 appearances for Wales, making her their most-capped player of all-time. She also works as a teacher at Ewell Castle School in Epsom but will be taking a sabbatical year in order to focus on her training ahead of final selection for the Tokyo team.

21-year-old Watson made her GB debut in July and scored her first goal on her third cap in a game against India in October. She was also part of the Scottish side that won promotion to the top tier of the EuroHockey Championships after she scored the winning goal to secure their move.

GB Hockey boss Ed Barney was full of praise for GB's elite develoment after the inclusion of the Scottish and Welsh internationals.

He said: “We are delighted that Leah and Charlotte are joining the programme on a full-time basis. This is real credit to all their hard work, perseverance and commitment. It’s a pleasure to see the increase in Welsh and Scottish representation across the senior programme and is a real reflection of Scottish Hockey, Hockey Wales and the GB Elite Development Programme."

The best videos delivered daily

Watch the stories that matter, right from your inbox