Joe Sharp admitted to having mixed emotions after Britain’s men’s hockey team won silver at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival.
Britain lined up against Australia in the gold-medal match in Sydney having lost to them in the round-robin stage three days earlier.
Australia took a 3-0 lead going into half-time but Sharp and co came out fighting after the break and went 4-3.
However the hosts levelled with two minutes left and then stole the win in extra-time courtesy of a golden goal.
And Sharp didn’t know whether to be satisfied with silver or upset that Britain didn’t win gold Down Under.
“I have mixed emotions about the silver medal,” said Sharp – whose sister Alice was part of the British women’s hockey team that won bronze.
“If someone had said ‘you will win silver’ before the tournament I would have been pleased but to get so close to gold is so frustrating and I think we should have won gold.
“Silly mistakes cost us and for the neutral it was probably one of the best games they will see but for us we feel like it was a missed opportunity.
“Being three goals down at half-time we rallied the troops in the changing room and fought back to lead 4-3 and then to lose it in extra time was gutting.
“We didn’t change much tactically but mentally we just had to change it as we knew we were fitter and we knew the goals would come.
“They did but unfortunately the gold didn’t but a silver medal is never bad I suppose.”
© Sportsbeat 2013