“I had almost lost hope in my Olympic aspirations. I was at my lowest point and considering quitting.” The scripts for a silver screen saga continue to unfold as Great Britain chases its first men’s hockey medal since the 1988 team claimed gold in South Korea.
Lee Morton, a 29-year-old half-back pulled from the depths of international obscurity and revitalized under head coach Paul Revington’s guidance, netted two goals in the final four minutes, helping Great Britain to a draw against the Netherlands during a high-stakes showdown between the world’s top teams in Pool A.
As if this story couldn’t get any better, Morton is from Glasgow, marking arguably the best Scottish Olympic performance in this iconic venue since Eric Liddell clinched the 400m gold in the 1924 Chariots of Fire Games.
Want more? His family and friends were all here, including his brother Craig, who made a surprise visit from Australia. Lee hasn’t even had a chance to see him yet. Maybe they can discuss the possibility of a movie deal over dinner.
“I’ve been open about considering retirement from hockey,” Morton shared. “After I stepped away from the GB cycle, I thought I had reached my limit. I was at my lowest and ready to quit. But I pushed through, and being here with my family is truly special.”
“I received an invitation to return for trials after Tokyo. I thought, ‘Let’s give this one last shot and see what happens.’ And from there, things took off.”
What lies ahead for Great Britain is anyone’s guess. Under Revington’s inspirational two-year tenure, the men’s team has exuded relentless positivity, yet they also displayed resilience as they battled fiercely for three-quarters of the game.
However, the team soon found themselves at a disadvantage – a powerful finish from Floris Wortelboer past Ollie Payne, quickly followed by Thijs van Dam doubling the Dutch lead – prompting a shift in strategy. Prepare the popcorn.
One of Revington’s beloved sayings is: “If a man and his dog walk past our training pitch, would they stop?” While it would have been a challenge for passersby to catch any of this match – they would have had to navigate through a legion of gendarmes and scale a 10-foot security fence – those in attendance witnessed an unforgettable conclusion.
Great Britain’s Jacob Draper (right) and Ollie Payne celebrate their 2-2 draw.
Photograph: Martin Divíšek/EPA
Morton’s first goal came with under six minutes remaining, beating Dutch goalkeeper Pirmin Blaak at the near post. Then, with just 100 seconds on the clock, came the Hollywood climax: a loose ball from a penalty corner smashed home like a Joe Root cover drive. Cue the chaos.
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“Shutting my eyes and hoping for the best,” was how Morton described his spectacular half-volley equalizer. “I’ll be honest; the ball came right to me, and I thought I’d just take a swing. It hit the backboard. What an amazing feeling.”
Reflecting on the Scottish connection with Liddell, Morton candidly admitted he wasn’t well-versed in the story. “What stands out to me is that it’s been 16 years since a Scottish man has participated in the Olympics for hockey. I hope to inspire future generations to have Scottish athletes competing at every Olympics.”
Revington’s squad has two more matches against France and Germany to wrap up the pool phase, with the potential for a rematch against the Dutch in the tournament’s knockout stages.
“We believe we can compete against anyone,” asserted captain David Ames, who once trialed for Chelsea in football. “We’re no longer afraid. We don’t care who we’re up against, what time the match is, or how hot it gets. We’ve got that confidence. It’s as simple as that.”
