Olympic Champion and women’s captain Hollie Pearne-Webb has announced her retirement from the sport she has spent over a decade competing in.
Pearne-Webb is widely renowned as one of the best players England has produced, and she marked her place in people’s hearts by scoring the winning goal in the shootout at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The Derbyshire-born player made her senior debut in 2013 and quickly became a regular in England and GB squads with a total of 274 combined caps including three Olympic Games appearances.
On her Team GB debut in Rio 2016 she was part of the team that stole the nations hearts with their performance that delayed the 10pm news on BBC 1. It came down to a shootout with the team from Netherlands and Pearne-Webb stood up confidently and secured the first-ever Olympic title for the women’s team.
Five years later at Tokyo 2020 and this time as captain, Pearne-Webb led the team to bronze after beating India 4-3 to secure her second Olympic medal.
The 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games saw the women’s team make history again under the leadership of Pearne-Webb. They won their first gold medal at a Commonwealth Games having beaten Australia in the final.
Pearne-Webb has decided the time is right to take the next step and commented: “After more than 12 years representing my country at the highest level, I’ve made the incredibly tough decision to retire from international hockey.
“It’s hard to put into words just how much this sport has given me. What started as a dream when I was just eight years old—to one day play for my country at the Olympics—became a journey that’s been greater than anything I could have imagined. I’ve been fortunate to experience three Olympic Games, win two Olympic medals, and captain England to our first-ever Commonwealth Games gold. I feel so incredibly lucky to have had the career I’ve had.
“Hockey has shaped me—not just as a player, but as a person. It’s given me lifelong friendships, unforgettable memories, and the opportunity to grow through both the highs and the challenges. I’ll always be grateful for the experiences this sport has brought into my life.
“One of the greatest honours has been leading England and Great Britain over the past six years. Captaining this team at two Olympic Games and a home Commonwealth Games has been an immense privilege. Walking the team out last summer in Paris, in front of friends and family, was a truly special moment and one I’ll never forget.
“To every teammate, coach, member of staff, supporter, and especially my family and friends—thank you. Your encouragement and belief have meant everything to me. I couldn’t have done it without you.
“As I step away from international hockey, my love for the game remains as strong as ever. I’ll always be proud to have worn the shirt, and I’ll always be a supporter of the incredible players coming through.
“I hope many young people are inspired to pick up a stick and fall in love with our amazing sport. Hockey has shown me that anything is possible—and I’ll forever be thankful for that.
“Thank you, hockey. It’s been the honour of a lifetime.”
England and GB Hockey women’s head coach David Ralph said: Hollie has made an outstanding contribution to England and Great Britain since her first cap in 2013. Hollie has been instrumental and at the heart of England’s and Great Britain’s successes over the last decade, including that unforgettable moment when she scored the Olympic gold medal winning shootout in that memorable night in Rio.
“Hollie was an excellent, incredibly intelligent defender who possessed a great passing ability and was always able to perform consistently and at an incredibly high level. While the team’s success was always the most important thing for Hollie, it was great to see her individual performances rewarded with the player of the tournament at the Europeans in 2017, an award so richly deserved for her.
“Hollie’s impact goes beyond her individual performances and contributions on the pitch. Hollie’s competitiveness, resilience, intelligence and bravery were stand out characteristics that resulted in her becoming England and Great Britain captain in 2018. Hollie was incredible captain, always putting the team first, never more so than in the last couple of years when injury unfortunately limited Hollie’s time on the pitch with us.
“Seeing Hollie’s resilience to overcome those setbacks, while remaining focussed on the team was very inspiring. Hollie was a great player and more than that she is an outstanding person, who has had a positive impact on so many of us. We are grateful for Hollie’s contributions, and we wish her every success in the next chapter of her journey. From a personal point of view, it was an absolute pleasure to work with Hollie, a real highlight of my coaching career.”