Local athletes go international

Heading off to compete in South Africa this month are indoor hockey athletes (from left) Dan O’Brien, Max Braithwaite and Emily Lochhead.

The three Otago players will represent New Zealand in the under-18 teams at the Nkosi Cup in Cape Town next week, where they will face national sides from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Australia and South Africa.

O’Brien, 18, said indoor hockey was like a cross between hockey and futsal. 

"Unlike field hockey, the ball is not able to be lifted off the ground, so there’s lots of different techniques needed in indoor hockey — it’s very technical."

Lochhead, 16, said the sport was very fast and required a high level of fitness. Braithwaite, 18, said they were looking forward to playing at international level.