For two decades, Iain Mackay has been dreaming of his day of destiny.

That day is about to come for the former Braintree Hockey Club junior as he steps out in Great Britain’s colours on the biggest stage of all in world hockey – the Olympic Games.


Mackay is set to be part of the Team GB side that faces Argentina on Monday and he is only too aware of the history he is about to make.


The 27-year-old said: “It means so much.


“When I first started playing at Braintree as a six or seven-year-old, I was just going along to the local sports club for something to do.


“When I reached 11 or 12, I started to recognise there was international hockey beyond what I was experiencing and I watched the Olympics.


“The older I got and the closer I got to making it a reality, the more I could see my chance.


“So I’d say that this has been my goal for the last 20 years and to actually achieve will be incredible."

See the Braintree and Witham Times this week to see the full version of our Olympic hockey feature as we look forward to the start of the Games for former Braintree Hockey Club youngsters Iain Mackay and Chloe Rogers.