Scots trio selected in British Champions Trophy squad

Three Scots – the Reading pair of Laura Bartlett and Emily Maguire, along with Canterbury goalkeeper Abi Walker – have been selected by Great Britain women’s head coach Danny Kerry for the Champions Trophy in Rosario, Argentina, next month, the last world level tournament before the London Olympics.

The fourth Scot in the GB training squad, VWS Dundee Wanderers midfielder Vikki Bunce, misses out. She has the consolation of being picked for an earlier four nations tournament in Cordoba, but then returns home.

While Bartlett, who recently picked up the British Olympic Association hockey athlete of the year award, and Maguire may have been considered virtual certainties, Walker has done well to see off the challenge of Leicester’s Madeleine Hinch for the second goalkeeping spot behind number one choice Beth Storry.

Beijing Olympian Storry was rested for the recent 5-0 Test series victory over the United States in California, but coach Danny Kerry has brought back the 33-year-old. Great Britain face new world No 1s the Netherlands, Olympic silver medallists China and Japan in their group in Rosario.

“We’ll use the Champions Trophy to scout teams thoroughly in preparation for London 2012 and to continue to explore and develop our own combinations,” Kerry said. “All of the teams will be in varying states of preparation for 2012 and it will be interesting to see where they are and the effect it has on the tournament.”

The week before the Champions Trophy, Britain will play a four-nation tournament in Cordoba against hosts Argentina, Commonwealth silver medallists New Zealand and South Korea with a slightly different squad. After that event, four players – Bunce, EuroCanterbury’s Dilly Newton, Leicester’s Rebecca Herber and University of Birmingham’s Susie Gilbert – will return home and have their places taken by Leicester duo Hannah Macleod and Chloe Rogers, Bowdon Hightown’s Sally Walton and Clifton’s Georgie Twigg for the elite-level event.

“I am looking forward to us playing some good quality opposition and continuing to develop depth in our squad across the tournament,” Kerry said of the four-nation tournament.

Prior to departing for Argentina, all 22 players will take part in a five-day training camp near Barcelona from 4 January and then play three matches against Spain.