Sharon Buchanan: Australia

Sharon Buchanan

Sharon Buchanan was born in Western Australia in 1963. She earned selections in 4 Olympic Hockey squads and also was the Captain from 1989 - 1992, the time when Australia was considered the best in the world. Sharon originally played inside forward but later chose the center-half role. When she was just 12 years old she was nominated to the Western Australian under-16 squad and one year later she was picked for the Australian under-16 squad. She graduated through the under-19 and senior teams and earned a place in the national team bound for the 1980 Moscow Olympics. Unfortunately a boycott imposed , following the USSR's occupation of Afghanistan meant that they wern't able to go.

When, four years later, Sharon was only 21 years old she flew with the Los Angeles Olympic team but it wasn't until 1988 that the Australian Team won gold at the Seoul Olympics. The Australians ran second in the 1989 Champion Trophy in Berlin with Buchanan as captain and second in 1990, Sydney and then returned to Berlin to win the 1991 Championship Trophy. Buchanan was named player of the tournament and also won her second nomination in a world team.

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