Ann Grant relives 1980 Olympic glory

AS the countdown to the 2024 Summer Olympics gets to its final stages, it is only fair to take a trip down memory lane to a time when a group of Zimbabwean women etched their names in stone in the annals of not just Olympic history, but the country’s sporting biography.

In 1980, the women’s hockey team wrote an inspirational story that, till today, still lingers on the minds of many. They achieved a feat that no other country ever had, becoming the first nation to win women’s hockey gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.

It was the first time that women’s hockey was included in the Games and Zimbabwe’s Golden Girls reached the top of the world, putting Zimbabwe on the global map.

It seemed fate had it in store that the team would achieve immortality in 1980 as going to the Olympics was never part of their schedule but they received a last-minute invitation to be a part of the competition.

The “Golden Girls” were initially meant to go to South Africa for an annual inter-provincial tournament.
With the coming in of the late invite, they were only left with a month to prepare and get their house in order. Shifts were put in to make sure that everything went well and that there was no room for error.

In an interview with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), the captain at that time, Ann Grant took time to relieve the moments building up to their immortality. For her, what made the occasion extra special is that Zimbabwe had just gained independence in April.
Grant and her team touched down in the Russian capital just 10 days before the commencement of the games and were charmed by the facilities they saw there.

“Our team was extremely excited to be invited to the XXII Olympic Games, especially as it was the first time women’s hockey was an Olympic discipline and our new nation of Zimbabwe was only formally confirmed in April 1980.
“We were taken to the super new Olympic Village with amenities open 24 hours and then rushed off to get new hockey shoes as not one of us had ever played on artificial turf, including our coach,” Grant told FIH.

She added that attending the opening ceremony at the Lenin Stadium (now Luzhniki) bearing the new Zimbabwe flag was a moment of awe and pride for them. The atmosphere at the stadium made it even more memorable.
Zimbabwe would go on to make history with a win over Austria in the final and be the first country to win a women’s hockey Olympic Games gold medal and to date, words cannot express the joy and excitement that she and the rest of the team felt on the day.

“The aura from the beautiful stadium, the magnitude of the many spectators, and the sheer joy of being a part of this momentous occasion was a mind-blowing experience.
“It is difficult to express our feelings of sheer joy and excitement of our achievement! We stood on that red carpet to receive our gold medals from Reg Alexander, IOC member from Kenya, and Renee Frank, the President of the International Hockey Federation. The unforgettable moment our flag was raised with the beautiful Olympic hymn playing in the background,” she said.

Their journey to immortality is well documented in handwritten memoirs which was an idea they got from their coach, Anthea Stewart. Grant said their “Dear Diary” holds memories of laughter, joy and tears.

“Our coach, Anthea Stewart, made a team rule of writing the day’s events and happenings in a handwritten diary to document, from beginning to end, the story of our own Olympic journey — this was written in the same order as your team number. What incredible memoirs “Dear Diary” has safely tucked inside, with many laughs as we read through the various stories but also tears, as we remember our dear vice-captain and wonderful leader Liz Chase who has sadly passed on,” Grant recalled.

In a couple of weeks, the 2024 Olympic Games will get underway in France and Zimbabwe will be represented by various athletes in different fields. They should all draw inspiration from the Golden Girls that with hard work, determination, and love for one’s game, anything is possible.
The legacy of the Golden Girls continues to inspire future generations of hockey players in Zimbabwe.—@brandon_malvin