The Dutch women’s field hockey team’s 21st consecutive victory over China in international competition needed a last-minute comeback, a shootout and a shutdown performance from out gay goalkeeper Anne Veenendaal, but they ended up hitting the jackpot in the form of a fifth Olympic gold medal.
The Netherlands defeated China 3-1 in a penalty shootout after the women’s field hockey gold medal match ended in a 1-1 tie after regulation, spoiling an upset bid by an upstart Chinese squad that barely made the knockout stage of the tournament.
The Dutch entered the Paris Games as gold medal favorites after their triumph in Tokyo three years ago. They breezed through the group and knockout stage, winning all but one game by multiple goals including a 3-0 win over China.
Their opponents Friday were the final team to qualify for the knockout stage but made a run to the gold medal game by surprising Australia and Belgium.
Get off the sidelines and into the game
Our weekly newsletter is packed with everything from locker room chatter to pressing LGBTQ sports issues.
China’s momentum manifested early as Chen Yi scored in the first quarter to take the lead. That goal would be the only one scored for much of the game as China’s defense held the Dutch women at bay despite constantly being on attack the rest of the way.
The performance was due in part to China’s head coach Alyson Annan, the out LGBTQ former Dutch head coach who had led the orange-clad crew to gold at the Tokyo Games.
The Dutch were finally able to break through and score the equalizer in the fourth quarter off a penalty corner shot by Yibbi Jansen with nine minutes left in regulation, putting the gold medal on the line in a shootout and giving Veenendaal the chance to make a statement.
With her helmet adorned with the Intersex-Inclusive Progress Pride flag, the ‘keeper recorded saves on China’s first two shots as her offensive counterparts put the Netherlands up 2-0.
After allowing a goal in the third round and a Dutch goal in the fourth, Veenendaal poked away Ma Ning’s backhand shot to clinch the gold medal repeat.
Veenendaal’s teammates, including fellow Team LGBTQ player Marleen Jochems and Pride armband-wearing captain Xan de Waard, swarmed her following the save as the tension of the Olympic final turned to jubilation.
Related
Olympic field hockey a hotbed of LGBTQ pride and advocacy
Multiple captains in field hockey, including two gold medal finalists, are sporting the rainbow armband in Paris.
By Brian C. Bell | August 7, 2024
Annan congratulated her silver-medal squad following the match. Despite the loss, China’s performance garnered them their second Olympic silver medal in women’s field hockey ever and their first since the 2008 Beijing Games.
The result also marked the first time in history that the same nation won both men’s and women’s field hockey gold at the same Olympic Games. The Dutch men defeated Germany in a penalty shootout in Thursday’s gold medal match.
