Alex Danson
MBE
Danson in 2013
Personal information
Full name Alexandra Mary Louise Danson-Bennett
Born (1985-05-21) 21 May 1985 (age 38)
Southampton, Hampshire, England
Height 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight 56 kg (123 lb)
Playing position Forward
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001–2018 England 203 (62)
2010–2018 Great Britain 103 (53)
Medal record
Women's field hockey
Representing  Great Britain
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team
Champions Trophy
Silver medal – second place 2012 Rosario
Representing  England
World Cup
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Rosario
FIH Champions Trophy
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Nottingham
European Championship
Gold medal – first place 2015 London
Silver medal – second place 2013 Boom
Bronze medal – third place 2005 Dublin
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Manchester
Bronze medal – third place 2009 Amstelveen
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Monchengladbach
Bronze medal – third place 2017 Amstelveen
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 2014 Glasgow Team
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Melbourne Team
Bronze medal – third place 2010 Delhi Team
Bronze medal – third place 2018 Gold Coast Team
Champions Challenge I
Gold medal – first place 2002 Johannesburg
Bronze medal – third place 2007 Baku

Alexandra Mary Louise "Alex" Danson, MBE (born 21 May 1985) is a retired English international hockey player who played as a forward for England and Great Britain.[1] She played club hockey for Clifton Robinsons, Reading, Klein Zwitserland, Trojans and Alton.

Danson attended two independent schools, Yateley Manor Prep School and Farnborough Hill School, a Roman Catholic school for girls. Farnborough Hill School named their all-weather hockey pitch in her honour.[2] She made her full international debut on 23 October 2001 against Germany. She won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games and a bronze medal at the 2012 Olympic Games.[3][4]

Danson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to hockey.[5] Later that year Danson was announced as the England Women's Hockey Captain in June 2017[6] and led the team through to the last four in the semi-finals of the world league.[7] Also in 2017, Danson launched the Alex Danson Hockey Academy, aimed at introducing young children to the sport through their schools to increase awareness and participation in hockey at a grassroots level.[8]

She played her last international match on 2 August 2018, against the Netherlands. It was her 306th appearance for England and Great Britain.[9] Danson announced her retirement from playing hockey on 20 February 2020.[10][11]

Honours and awards

Honours

Representing Great Britain

Olympic Games

FIH Champions Trophy

Representing England

EuroHockey Nations Championship

Commonwealth Games

World Cup

FIH Champions Trophy

FIH Champions Challenge I

Country
Reading Hockey Club

Awards and nominations

References

  1. ^ "Alex Danson - GB Hockey". Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Alex Danson Pitch opened". Farnborough Hill School. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  3. ^ Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Alex Danson". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  4. ^ Alex Danson profile GB Hockey. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  5. ^ "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N17.
  6. ^ "Alex Danson named England women's hockey captain". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Women's Hockey World League Semi-Finals: England lose to USA in semi-final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Alex Danson: Olympic gold medallist's hockey academy targets 10,000 children". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
  9. ^ "International Hockey Federation".
  10. ^ http://www.greatbritainhockey.co.uk/news.asp?itemid=48933&itemTitle=Alex+Danson%2DBennett+announces+her+retirement+from+hockey&section=1044&dm_i=K8Z,6QT2T,3D8XWY,QY5YS,1 [dead link]
  11. ^ "Britain's Danson-Bennett retires from hockey". BBC Sport.
  12. ^ Passing The Test Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Reading Hockey Club. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  13. ^ London Cup 2011 Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Field Hockey TV. 16 October 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  14. ^ Ladies 1s off to Europe Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Reading Hockey Club. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  15. ^ Treble-tastic! Archived 20 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Reading Hockey Club. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  16. ^ "Reading women promoted to EuroHockey top flight". EH. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  17. ^ "Watch highlights of this weekend's championships". EH. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  18. ^ "Reading crowned Investec Champions". EH. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  19. ^ "Investec Finals Weekend - Day Two". EH. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  20. ^ "Reading crowned Maxifuel Super Sixes Champions". EH. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  21. ^ "Reading crowned Maxinutrition Hockey5s Champs". EH. 2 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  22. ^ "Super Sixes Finals 2011". EH. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  23. ^ "Leicester Ladies crowned Maxifuel Super Sixes Finals Champions". EH. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  24. ^ "Reading seal Slough's fate". EH. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  25. ^ "Bowdon take top spot from Slough in women's Premier Division". EH. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  26. ^ "Richardson and Danson World All Stars". EH. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  27. ^ Great week continues for Alex Get Record. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
  28. ^ "Danson, Pearn are Hockey Writers' Players of the Year". EH. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  29. ^ a b c Double Award for Alex Danson Get Reading. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
  30. ^ "Captains pick up Player of the Year Awards". EH. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  31. ^ Reading Players Honoured Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Reading HC. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
  32. ^ a b c "Hockey Stars 2015 Player of the Year nominees". FIH. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
  33. ^ a b "Davis Cup's team title as athletes are on track". SJA. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  34. ^ "Lewers and Hinch scoop Hockey Writers' Prizes". EH. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alex Danson.
Alex Danson – International Tournaments
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