LONDON 2012: Storry not ready to write her final chapter just this yet

By Matthew Stott, Sportsbeat

BRITISH hockey goalkeeper Beth Storry believes she is playing better than ever and insists this summer's Olympic will be no retirement party.

INSPIRATIONAL: Goalkeeper Beth Storry, one of the world's best, with British team-mates. Her saves were criticial during Team GB's success at the recent Olympic test event (Ady Kerry)

Storry, 34, played a starring role as Great Britain won this month's test event, producing some world-class saves to repel world champions Argentina in a clean sheet tournament at the Riverbank Arena.

She conceded in five out of six fixtures when Team GB finished sixth in Beijing four years ago, but was voted goalkeeper of the 2010 World Cup, in which England claimed a bronze.

And Storry believes her best is yet to come despite being the oldest member of coach Danny Kerry’s London 2012 squad.

“To be honest, I really don’t know whether I will retire after London 2012," she said.

"Prior to Beijing I was thinking about it, but once I was playing at the Olympics I thought 'This is amazing. I could never retire from hockey. I want to do it again and again.'

“And that is kind of how I feel at the moment and I am not even going to think about it until after the summer.

"I just need to enjoy the experience and see how I feel, and at the end of the day, if you are enjoying it, you are going to continue doing it.

“I think I am playing better than ever now but I wouldn’t say it was my best-ever performance during the first Argentina match. Although I definitely felt more relaxed, which is when you play your best hockey.

“But I still make mistakes and have things to improve on. No-one in our team would say they are the perfect player and I can still play better.

“I look at other goalkeepers in the GB squad at the moment like Abi Walker and Maddie Hinch and think there are lots of things that I would love to take from their game.

“Their speed, agility and footwork is just so much better than mine and I would love to be as strong and fast as them.”

Storry relishes her ambassadorial work of promoting hockey to the next generation, visiting schools and encouraging youngsters to take up her sport. 

She believes this could be her own personal legacy of the Games, after she was herself inspired by former British hockey goalkeepers, such as Jo Thompson, Hilary Rose and Carolyn Reid.

“We all love the sport and I have got so much from it," she added. 

"Hockey changed my life completely. When I was a child I was painfully shy and wouldn’t speak to anyone. 

“But I got so much confidence and self-belief from hockey, which was really important. Some of my best friends and best experiences in my life have come from hockey."

© Sportsbeat 2012