White wows voters in goal contest

NICOLA WHITE

OLDHAM'S golden girl Nicola White has seen her very first goal for Great Britain voted the fourth-best ever in men and women's Olympic competition.

Following a top 10 vote on the Olympic Channel website, White's goal at the London Games in 2012 against Korea made it into fourth place of all time.

In a group stage fixture against Korea - Team GB eventually went on to secure the bronze medal at their home Games - then Slough forward White dribbled powerfully past a couple of opponents before driving a shot unerringly into the net.

That was the opening goal on the day, with Team GB going on to complete a 5-3 victory in the end.

Pakistan's Sohail Abbas won the overall best goal honour thanks to his wonder strike in the 2012 Games in a match against South Africa.

Meanwhile, Ed Barney has been named Great Britain hockey's new performance director - overseeing the men's and women's teams.

Barney, a former sailing athlete and coach, worked for the England and Wales Cricket Board before joining GB Hockey as head of talent development in 2013.

He takes over from Danny Kerry, who had been both performance director and interim women's head coach since 2014.

He guided Holcombe star White and her colleagues to glorious Olympic gold in Rio last month.

Holcombe have started their Investec Women's Hockey League Premier Division season with two wins and a draw so far, though White and her GB team-mates continue to take an extended break from the game following their summer heroics.

White is hoping to return to action for her club once the indoor campaign kicks in in the run-up to Christmas.