Hockeyroo reflects on 'that selfie'

Jayde Taylor may have just returned from the Commonwealth Games but the 29-year-old has already set her sights on making the squad for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The Bunbury-raised hockey player landed back in the country yesterday after she played in the triumphant Hockeyroos side that won the gold medal in Glasgow.

The team was less than 15 seconds from losing to England, before Jodie Kenny scored an equaliser and the Hockeyroos won on penalties.

The victory was even sweeter for Taylor, who has now won two Commonwealth gold medals, after recovering from a foot injury which kept her on the sidelines for a year.

At one point, Taylor was told by doctors she may never run again.

“For me it was a matter of sticking to the physio’s plan and doing everything I could to give myself a chance of running and playing again, ” she told the South Western Times yesterday.

“You have got to find the positives out of every situation.

“If I couldn’t end up playing again I had to deal with it and move on – I am lucky it turned out really well.”

She was a late injury replacement for the Hockeyroos World Cup squad in June and was then was picked for Glasgow.

“I don’t think I have ever been so emotionally involved in a game before,” Taylor said in reference to the tense final.

Not only did she score a rare goal during the tournament, the third in her career, she also scored photographs with members of the Royal Family, including a “selfie” with teammate Brooke Peris that was “photo-bombed” by the Queen, and a snap with Prince Harry.

Taylor described the Queen as “delightful” and “beautiful”.

She said she was now aiming to play at the Rio Olympics.

For more news go to our mobile home page at infogo