Browne, McClean, Richardson on world hockey stage

HOCKEY coach Kwandwane Browne and officials Reyah Richardson and Ayanna McClean continue to fly the TT flag on the world stage.

On May 27, the trio were prominently involved in a Commonwealth men's matchup between Great Britain and India, which took place as part of the International Hockey Federation's (FIH) Hockey Pro League. The FIH Hockey Pro League is a nine-month competition that brings together nine of the world's top national women's and men's teams.

The Pro League competition returned to the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London, England, for two consecutive weekends. The participating teams in this mini-tournament for the men's division included Great Britain, Belgium, and India, while the women's division featured Great Britain, Belgium, and China.

Browne, 45, arguably TT's greatest hockey player, was appointed to England and Great Britain's men's coaching staff in 2019. He was one of Great Britain's assistant coaches for the match.

McClean, a member of the FIH's distinguished top umpiring panel, has officiated in prestigious events such as the Women's World Cup in 2022 and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics . The Pro League's roster of umpires consists of 24 male and 21 female officials. Her involvement as an on-field umpire on May 27 marked her second appearance in a men's Pro League match, further contributing to the ongoing Equally Amazing campaign in world hockey, which advocates for gender equality within the sport of hockey.

Richardson, who served as one of the two match managers for the two-weekend mini-tournament, assumed the role of technical official during the game. Her presence underscored her standing among the top ranks in world hockey, having also been part of the delegation at the Tokyo Olympics and the FIH Men's World Cup in 2018.

The thrilling match culminated in a 4-2 victory for Great Britain over India, placing the former at the pinnacle of the Pro League rankings while leaving India in second position.