GB hockey star Jacob Draper says he’s shaken off ‘naivety’ and is doubling down on a podium finish at Paris 2024, reports Sportsbeat's TOM HARLE.
The 25-year-old, who developed his skills as a youngster at Monmouth Comprehensive School, rose through the GB ranks quickly to make his Olympic debut in Tokyo, where a premature quarter-final exit hit him hard.
Draper, who won the European Cup with his Dutch team earlier this year, believes he has matured in the intervening years.
“Being in Tokyo wasn’t something I expected,” he said. “I was just happy to be there, I was happy to take everything in and reflecting on it, I didn’t really go in with the right mentality.
“We were there to do a job and bring back a medal but I think I was being slightly naive. It was my first Games and there’s nothing to compare it to, it’s such a big event.
“Experience has taught me different. We crashed out in the quarter-finals, which was really hard and took me two or three years to get over.
“It wasn’t a nice experience and something that has provided fuel so we can go to Paris and rectify some of the wrongs.”
The men’s squad features a mix of youth and experience with seven men set to make their Olympic debuts in the French capital.
Skipper David Ames and striker Sam Ward will represent Team GB for the third time.
Head coach Paul Revington has overseen a transformation in the team, instilling an attacking philosophy and leading England to the final of the EuroHockey Championships.
Draper, who helped Wales to a first ever world cup in India last year, compared Revington’s animated touchline manner to iconic former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
“Revs is somebody who wears his emotions on his sleeve,” he said. “It does motivate you when you’re playing when you’ve got this guy on the sidelines who is this energy ball.
“He’s like Klopp with his presence on the touchline. It fills you with confidence and I can’t thank him enough for the two years we’ve had.”
Draper is one of over 1,000 elite athletes on UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded World Class Programme, allowing them to train full time, have access to the world’s best coaches and benefit from pioneering medical support – vital for his pathway to the Paris 2024 Games.
Team GB begin their Pool A campaign against Spain on Saturday (July 27, 9am), with South Africa on Sunday (July 28, 7.15pm) reigning European champions Netherlands on Tuesday (July 30, 11.45am), hosts France on Thursday (August 1, 11.45am), and world champions Germany on Friday (August 2, 7.15pm).
The top four seal progression to the quarter-finals, which take place on Sunday, August 4, followed by the semis on Tuesday-Wednesday, August 6-7, and the final on Thursday, August 8.
All games will be played at the refurbished Stade Yves-du-Manoir – the only venue surviving from the 1924 Games, having hosted the athletics a century ago.
“It’s about gold for us,” said Draper. “A medal would be lovely but to say that’s all we want would be doing ourselves a disservice. The top five teams are good enough to beat anyone, and we’re one of them.
“We need to just make sure we put in consistent performances in the tournament and then here we go.”
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