Hockey: Star Taeke Taekema set for city event

THE inaugural Richard Docherty Indoor Cup being staged in Edinburgh this weekend has recruited another world-class hockey name.

Dutch master Taeke Taekema replaces Rodrigo Garza in the Dutch select team HC RGD. Taekema, 31, won a silver medal in the 2004 Athens Olympics and scored a record 16 goals, including a double-hat-trick in the semi-final against Belgium.

He was also joint top scorer in the 2010 World Cup.

Among the other star names jetting in for the event at Napier University’s Sighthill campus are Olympic gold medallists and World Cup winners Taco van ver Honert and Floris Jan Bovelander, plus Phillip Witte, a German Internationalist and also a Beijing Olympic gold medallist.

Edinburgh-born but Dutch-based Laurence Docherty has helped arrange the tournament in honour of his late brother, a diabetes sufferer. Richard, a top hockey player, died in June 2010 aged 27 and Laurence, one of Scotland’s best-ever players, said: “The Dutch team is purely created in Richard’s memory.”

Six teams are contesting the event including a Scotland national team in the shape of the Highland Jaguars. Others are: German Bundesliga outfit Grossflottbecker, Welsh team Celtic Panthers, host club Inverleith and Dundee side Groves Menzieshill. In all, there are players with more than 1500 international caps.

Proceeds will help support Diabetes Scotland.