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Robyn Johnson still has to pinch herself that she is playing for the South African women’s hockey team at major tournaments.

FAR LEFT: Robyn Johnson celebrates a goal with South African teammate Lilian du Plessis in Stellenbosch.

Photos: BackpagePix By: Matshelane Mamabolo

Robyn Johnson is in for the kind of year dreams are made of. But hers is going to be the kind even she wouldn’t have imagined despite her ambitious character.

Fresh from realising the ultimate wish of playing at the Olympics, the South African national hockey team player is set to participate in a continental tournament, a major international event as well as two World Cups in 2022.

“Of course I dreamt of all these but it is incredible that I am going to experience most of it in a single year,” Johnson said.

South Africa have won all eight continental tournaments, including this year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, with Johnson having made her debut in Stellenbosch two years ago. The victory booked their ticket to the World Cup in Spain and the Netherlands in early July. As Africa’s best, they should also participate at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August.

That all these things are happening to someone who was beginning to think representing SA was not meant for her as the call-up just didn’t happen despite her doing well at provincial level, is testament to the fact that one should never give up on their goals.

“I only got my first call-up to the national team in 2018, a little belatedly because I’d been playing for a while and did well playing for Western Province as a teenager and later I played for Southern Gauteng and thought I’d make the national team back then. But better late than never, right,” Johnson chuckled.

Last year she realised a long-held dream when she went to the Tokyo Olympics.

“Aaah, the Olympics! What can I say? It was because of the Olympics that I really took playing hockey seriously. Back in 2008 I saw the Beijing Olympics and watched a lot of hockey matches. I was already playing the game then after my cousin had given me a stick and just watching those matches, I knew there and then that I’d one day love to play at the Olympics. And it has now happened, even though sometimes I have to pinch myself because it is unbelievable that I am an Olympian.

“I made my family proud because I am the first Olympian in the Johnson family,” explained the daughter of soccer coach Cavin Johnson, who has worked at clubs such as SuperSport United, Platinum Stars and AmaZulu as well as having been assistant at Al Ahly and developed many stars at the School of Excellence.

Johnson – the hockey player – is though now an African champion and Olympian and set to be a double World Cup player, showing that dreams do come true.

LEFT: Johnson’s dream of representing South Africa was only realised after moving to Southern Gauteng.