Summary
Rachael Anne Lynch OAM, OLY[1] (born 2 July 1986)[2] is a field hockey player from Australia.[3]
 Lynch (left) with Toni Cronk | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
2 July 1986 Warrandyte, Victoria, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Victorian Vipers | ||
| National team | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006– | Australia | 222 | (0) |
Medal record | |||
Personal life edit
Rachael Lynch was born and raised in Warrandyte, a suburb of Melbourne.[3]
She worked as a nurse in neuro-rehabilitation at the Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth,[4] and previously worked at the Royal Perth Hospital.[5]
Career edit
Domestic leagues edit
Australian Hockey League edit
Prior to the disbandment of the Australian Hockey League (AHL), Lynch was a member of the Victorian Vipers. Throughout her career with the team, Lynch won the national title on two occasions, in 2012 and 2017.[6][7]
Hockey One edit
After the introduction of the Hockey One League in 2019, Lynch was named as a member of the HC Melbourne team in the inaugural tournament.[8] The team finished second, losing the final in penalties.[9]
Hockeyroos edit
Lynch made her senior international debut for the Hockeyroos in 2006, in a test match against England.[3] She won a silver medal with the team in 2009 at the Champions Trophy in Sydney.[10]
Lynch has medalled three times at Commonwealth Games, winning gold in 2010 and 2014, as well as silver in 2018.[11][12][10] She also medalled at five consecutive Oceania Cups, winning three golds and two silvers from 2011 to 2019.[3]
Lynch appeared in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.[5]
During first season of the FIH Pro League, Lynch reached a career milestone, becoming the most capped goalkeeper to play for the Australian national team, a record previously set at 207 caps by Rachel Imison.[13][14]
In December 2020, the Hockeyroos selection panel dropped Lynch from the national squad for 2021, essentially ending Lynch's career twelve months after she won the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year award. The axing of Lynch and former captain Georgina Morgan prompted an emergency meeting of the Hockeyroos, with the team considering a players' strike.[15] In April 2021, Lynch won her appeal and returned to the Hockeyroos.[16]
In June 2021, Lynch was selected as the keeper to represent Australia in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.[17] The Hockeyroos lost 1-0 to India in the quarter finals and therefore were not in medal contention.[18]
Recognition edit
Since the introduction of the Goalkeeping Award in the FIH Player of the Year Awards in 2014, Lynch has been nominated on three occasions.[19]
In 2019, Lynch won the award for the first time.[20]
Lynch was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) at the 2024 Australia Day Honours for service to hockey.[21]
References edit
- ^ "Olympians for Life". World Olympians Association. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ "Team Details – Australia". tms.fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Rachael Lynch". hockey.org.au. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Hockey Saving goals and bettering lives Rachael Lynch". athletesvoice.com.au. Athlete's Voice. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Rachael Lynch". olympics.com.au. Australian Olympic Committee. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "VICTORIA WIN THE 2012 WOMEN'S AUSTRALIAN HOCKEY LEAGUE-SAM SCORES !!". footscrayhockey.com.au. Footscray Hockey Club. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "LYNCH Rachael". hockeyaustralia.altiusrt.com. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "HC Melbourne – Women's Team". hockeyone.com.au. Hockey One. 5 July 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Hockey One Grand Final: Hockey Club Melbourne lose thrilling shootout with Brisbane Blaze". heraldsun.com.au. Herald Sun. 16 November 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ a b "LYNCH Rachael". tms.fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Rachael LYNCH". results.gc2018.com. GoldCoast2018. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "RACHAEL LYNCH". commonwealthgames.com.au. Commonwealth Games. 3 April 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "LYNCH Rachael Goal Keeper 27". fihproleague.com. FIH Pro League. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Late Goal Ends Hockeyroos' Winning Run". hockey.org.au. Hockey Australia. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ Hytner, Mike (3 December 2020). "Australia's Hockeyroos consider strike action after key players dropped". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Hockeyroos stars win appeal against exclusion from Olympics team". ABC News. 15 April 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Rachael Lynch bounces back from controversial axing to make Hockeyroos Olympic squad". ABC News. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo 2021". The Roar. Retrieved 19 February 2022.
- ^ "BEST GOALKEEPER". fih.ch. International Hockey Federation. Archived from the original on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Rachael Lynch crowned FIH Goalkeeper of the Year". hockeyvictoria.org.au. Hockey Victoria. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ "Ms Rachael Anne Lynch". Australian Honours Search Facility. Australian Government. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
External links edit
- Rachael Lynch at the International Hockey Federation
- Rachael Lynch at Olympics.com
- Rachael Lynch at Olympedia
- Rachael Lynch at the Australian Olympic Committee
- Rachael Lynch at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Rachael Lynch at the Commonwealth Games Federation (archived)
- Rachael Lynch at Commonwealth Games Australia
- Rachael Lynch at Commonwealth Games Australia
- Rachael Lynch at Hockey.org.au (also at HockeyAustralia.altiusrt.com)
