Alex Danson
![]() Danson in 2013 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Alexandra Mary Louise Danson-Bennett | ||
Born | Southampton, Hampshire, England | 21 May 1985||
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 |
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
[edit]Honours
[edit]- Representing Great Britain
Olympic Games
- 2016 Rio de Janeiro: Gold
- 2012 London: Bronze
FIH Champions Trophy
- 2012 Rosario: Silver
- Representing England
EuroHockey Nations Championship
- 2015 London: Gold
- 2013 Boom: Silver
- 2011 Monchengladbach: Bronze
- 2009 Amstelveen: Bronze
- 2007 Manchester: Bronze
- 2005 Dublin: Bronze
Commonwealth Games
- 2014 Glasgow: Silver
- 2010 Delhi: Bronze
- 2006 Melbourne: Bronze
World Cup
- 2010 Rosario: Bronze
FIH Champions Trophy
- 2010 Nottingham: Bronze
FIH Champions Challenge I
- 2007 Baku: Bronze
- 2002 Johannesburg: Gold
- Country
- Reading Hockey Club
- EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy Winners: 2013[14][15]
- EuroHockey Indoor Club Trophy Runners-up: 2014[16]
- Women's England Hockey League Winners: 2010–11,[17] 2012–13;[18] Runners-up: 2011–12[19]
- English Indoor Championship Winners: 2012–13,[20] 2013–14;[21] Runners-up: 2010–11,[22] 2011–12[23]
- English League (regular season) Winners: 2011–12[24]
- English Indoor League (regular season) Third-place: 2013–14[25]
Awards and nominations
[edit]- 2001 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Young Personality (runner-up)
- 2011 FIH World All Star Team[26]
- 2011 Reading Sports Personality of Year[27]
- 2011 UK Female Player of the Year (Hockey Writers' Club)[28]
- 2011–12 Premier League Player of the Season[29]
- 2011–12 Premier League Top Scorer[29]
- 2011–12 Premier League All Star Team[29]
- 2012 UK Female Player of the Year (Hockey Writers' Club) (runner-up)[30]
- 2012 London Cup Player of the Tournament[31]
- 2014–15 FIH Hockey World League Semi-finals Player of the Tournament[32]
- 2015 EuroHockey Nations Championship Player of the Tournament[32]
- 2015 Committee Award (Sports Journalists' Association)[33]
- 2015 Sportswoman of the Year (Sports Journalists' Association) (4th place)[33]
- 2015 UK Female Player of the Year (Hockey Writers' Club) (third-place)[34]
- 2015 FIH Women's Player of the Year (International Hockey Federation) (nominated)[32]
References
[edit]- ^ "Alex Danson - GB Hockey". Archived from the original on 8 October 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
- ^ "Alex Danson Pitch opened". Farnborough Hill School. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Alex Danson profile GB Hockey. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ^ "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N17.
- ^ "Alex Danson named England women's hockey captain". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "Women's Hockey World League Semi-Finals: England lose to USA in semi-final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "Alex Danson: Olympic gold medallist's hockey academy targets 10,000 children". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 July 2017.
- ^ "International Hockey Federation".
- ^ http://www.greatbritainhockey.co.uk/news.asp?itemid=48933&itemTitle=Alex+Danson%2DBennett+announces+her+retirement+from+hockey§ion=1044&dm_i=K8Z,6QT2T,3D8XWY,QY5YS,1 [dead link]
- ^ "Britain's Danson-Bennett retires from hockey". BBC Sport.
- ^ Passing The Test Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Reading Hockey Club. 7 May 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ^ London Cup 2011 Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Field Hockey TV. 16 October 2011. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ^ Ladies 1s off to Europe Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Reading Hockey Club. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ^ Treble-tastic! Archived 20 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Reading Hockey Club. 24 May 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ^ "Reading women promoted to EuroHockey top flight". EH. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Watch highlights of this weekend's championships". EH. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Reading crowned Investec Champions". EH. 21 April 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Investec Finals Weekend - Day Two". EH. 15 April 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Reading crowned Maxifuel Super Sixes Champions". EH. 27 January 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Reading crowned Maxinutrition Hockey5s Champs". EH. 2 February 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Super Sixes Finals 2011". EH. 30 January 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ "Leicester Ladies crowned Maxifuel Super Sixes Finals Champions". EH. 29 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Reading seal Slough's fate". EH. 24 March 2012. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
- ^ "Bowdon take top spot from Slough in women's Premier Division". EH. 5 January 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ "Richardson and Danson World All Stars". EH. 23 December 2011. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ Great week continues for Alex Get Record. 12 January 2012. Retrieved 22 October 2013.
- ^ "Danson, Pearn are Hockey Writers' Players of the Year". EH. 19 January 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ a b c Double Award for Alex Danson Get Reading. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 3 June 2012.
- ^ "Captains pick up Player of the Year Awards". EH. 23 January 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Reading Players Honoured Archived 6 June 2014 at the Wayback Machine Reading HC. 25 January 2013. Retrieved 3 June 2014.
- ^ a b c "Hockey Stars 2015 Player of the Year nominees". FIH. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2016.
- ^ a b "Davis Cup's team title as athletes are on track". SJA. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
- ^ "Lewers and Hinch scoop Hockey Writers' Prizes". EH. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Alex Danson at the International Hockey Federation
- Alex Danson at Olympics.com
- Alex Danson at Olympedia
- Alex Danson at Team GB
- Alex Danson at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Alex Danson at Great Britain Hockey (archived)
- Alex Danson at Team England