Ladies First—The Story of Australia's First Olympic Hockey Gold Medal by author, filmmaker, and commentator Ashley Morrison is an inspiring account of a historic Australian achievement at the Olympic Games.
Until the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988, an Australian team had not won an Olympic Gold Medal.
The women who formed the hockey team came together as a bunch of individuals and were moulded into a champion team, participating in what was widely seen as the last of the ‘amateur’ Games.
Ladies First delves into the captivating story of how Australia clinched its first Olympic hockey and team gold medal, with first-hand accounts from many of the women.
According to Morrison, the milestone moment is a testament to the dedication, perseverance, and spirit of the athletes who proudly represented the nation.
He says that the book was written to record an important part of Australian hockey and Olympic history.
“The 16 players are almost the ‘forgotten’ Gold Medallists of 1988,” Morrison explains.
“While two individuals also won Gold Medals that year and have been rightly lauded and celebrated, the significance of the Gold Medal won by the Australian women’s hockey team hardly raises a mention in Australian Olympic history or even Australian hockey history.”
The team was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2003, and some of the players have also been inducted individually into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. However, only seven players and coach Brian Glencross are in the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame.
“When they played the final against host nation South Korea, they were not just playing a team, but an entire nation that filled the stadium.
“It’s a remarkable victory, a remarkable moment, and we should never forget their achievement.”
Ladies First: The Story of Australia's First Olympic Hockey Gold Medal is available for $34.99 at Fair Play Publishing and leading bookstores nationwide.
ENDS
Key Facts:
The 1988 Australian women's hockey team were the first team to win a Gold Medal for Australia.
They were also the first to win a Hockey Gold Medal.
Despite this, their achievements are almost forgotten in the pantheon of Olympic memories.
About us:
About Ashley Morrison
Ashley Morrison is a broadcaster, author and award-winning documentary film maker, who has worked in print media, radio and television. Born and raised in England Ashley has called Australia home for over 35 years. He has commentated on several sports in Australia and overseas and is known for covering hockey, football, rugby and boxing. He has made four sport-related documentaries and this is his sixth book. All of these except for one have had a strong sporting connection. Ashley believes that everyone has a story to tell, and sometimes it is up to others to tell it on their behalf.
About Fair Play Publishing
Fair Play Publishing was established in 2016 by FIFA whistleblower and former football executive, Bonita Mersiades, who is also the founder of the Football Writers’ Festival and the Manly Writers’ Festival. Fair Play Publishing has since published almost 70 books, and is the biggest publisher of non-fiction books on football, as well as other sport, in Australia. The principal imprint is Fair Play Publishing, which is dedicated to sports non-fiction. Other imprints are Popcorn Press (fiction) and Pepper Press (books about life).
Contact details:
Ashley Morrison, Author, 0418 907 478
Bonita Mersiades, Publisher, 0416 071 000
