Casey's Story
At just 19 years-old, Casey Sablowski (nee Eastham) was the youngest women player competing at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games that finished fifth. The following year she was crowned the International Hockey Federation World Young Player of the Year.
Rio marked Games number three for the ‘veteran’ of the side after two fifth place finishes in Beijing and London.
The Aussies had a tough start to their 2016 Olympic campaign, going down 2-1 against both Great Britain and the USA in their opening two pool matches. Despite this disappointment, the side went on to secure three consecutive wins against India, Argentina and Japan, leaving them to face trans-tasman rivals New Zealand in the quarter final. Hopes of a medal finish were dashed as the Aussies went down 4-2 to the Kiwis, leaving the ladies to finish in 6th place.
In 2009 and 2010 Sablowski was named in the World Hockey Team. Born in Shellharbour, Sablowski began playing hockey at the age of five. In 2007 the talented midfielder won a silver medal at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival. She is a duel Commonwealth Games gold medalist, taking out the title in penalty shootouts in both Delhi and Glasgow.
She married her partner Scott in Bali in 2014 before signing a hockey contract with Dutch club Pinoke. In 2015, Sablowski divided her time between Australia and Amsterdam while she participated in the Hoofdklasse league.
Her cousin, Australian 1500m record holder Ryan Gregson joined Sablowski at the 2012 London and 2016 Rio Games as well as the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
