“Find a way to win,” may appear an oversimplification of Team GB’s journey to a historic hockey gold medal at Rio 2016 but it was the mantra that made dreams into reality.
The imperative was executed as dramatically as it was successfully, and it provided one of the most memorable underdog stories in British Olympic history.
As Hollie Pearne-Webb spun, flicked and jumped high in the air to celebrate her winning penalty, she was joined in her celebration by a nation who had just witnessed a seeming impossibility, but Team GB had never doubted their capability to win.
“When I scored [the opener] in the final, more than anything I remember thinking, ‘I know this is going to be our day,’” recalled Lily Owsley.
“It wasn't really, ‘I've just scored in an Olympic final.’ It was more, ‘This is actually happening.’
“Even in the tunnel beforehand, we felt it. The Dutch were loud, singing and shouting. We were completely silent, looking around at each other. It was almost like saying with our eyes, ‘We've got this.’
“It sounds strange, but from that tunnel onwards it genuinely felt like we were going to win.
“That's a really nice confidence to have because you don't always have it against the best team in the world.”
The victory represented the first time Team GB had won gold in women’s field hockey at the Olympics, also ticking the landmark of their first Olympic final on the way, and it came against one of the most dominant teams in sport.
Over the past five Olympic Games, the Netherlands have won four out of five available gold medals, remaining undefeated in normal time at the Olympics for nearly two decades.
Pre-match predictions already had the gold medal around the Netherlands’ necks on strong evidence, too, but that failed to account for a British approach that had taken all that into account.
“We used the word ‘belief’ a lot. We were heavy underdogs. We could play the Dutch 100 times and probably lose 90 of them, but there would be 10 occasions when we could win. We just had to believe that this could be one of those days,” added Owsley.
“You don't have to believe you're better than them. You just have to believe that you can win one of those games.
“I remember Helen Richardson-Walsh saying in the final that we only needed one chance. We had to believe that chance would come, and when it did, we'd be ready because that's what we'd trained for.
“A lot of our training was about performing under pressure, finding solutions under pressure, making training competitive, becoming comfortable in uncomfortable situations.
“The final was probably the only game where we were genuinely outplayed. Tournament hockey isn't about being the best team, it's about winning.
“Whether you're dominating or completely under the pump, you find a way to win. That's the saying that resonates with me most from Rio.”
Their tournament had been seamless – seven wins from seven outdid the Netherlands who had drawn a group game – and the team never once got ahead of themselves.
And when they made it to the final at the Olympic Hockey Centre in Deodoro, the chances did indeed come Team GB’s way – perhaps more often than they thought.
Owsley was the youngest in the squad that competed in Brazil at just 21 but found herself on the end of a chance that would lead to the opener after 10 minutes.
It opened the dam on a thriller that saw the Dutch lead 3-2 heading into the final quarter, but when Nicola White flicked home from a penalty corner to equalise it left momentum with the British heading into penalties.
“A shootout is all about momentum. If you're the underdog who's taken the best team in the world all the way, that gives you a lift," added Owsley.
“If you watch the footage back, we'd already won the psychological battle. We came off the pitch with shoulders back, full of confidence. The Dutch had their heads in their hands. Statistically they'd dominated us, but now it was level again.
“Having Maddie Hinch in goal gave us another level of confidence. We knew she'd probably make saves. She'd done it so many times before, and even beyond her ability she had a psychological edge over opponents.
“After that, it all became a blur. I struggle to watch shootouts, I had my eyes shut or was just looking down.
“All I remember is the girls next to me grabbing me, and then we were just running towards Hollie.
“I remember hearing the noise and just running. I was so tired. My legs had nothing left to give. I didn't know whether to cry, laugh or celebrate.
“It was one of those moments you've dreamed about since you were a kid. It's hard to put into words what it feels like when something you've wanted your whole life suddenly becomes reality.
“I was 21 years old. I wanted to celebrate. I wanted to see my parents. More than anything, I just felt all the pressure leave me. Everything I'd wanted had happened.”
Four Maddie Hinch saves and two penalty shuffles scored later, history had been made.
Team GB’s women’s hockey team had found a way to win and made legends of a generation.
“What I loved so much about the Olympics was that we had three days afterwards, still in our bubble before we went back to the outside world and returned to our families,” said Owsley, who is the only member of the squad still playing internationally.
“For Kate [Richardson-Walsh], Helen [Richardson-Walsh], Alex [Danson] and the others who'd worked for 20 years towards that moment, I just felt gratitude.
“I was this young player joining the end of 20 years of building towards that moment. I felt such pride that I'd contributed, even just a little bit, to that journey.
“There was also the feeling that every sacrifice had been worth it. We'd achieved what every single one of us had wanted to achieve. We'd created history by winning Olympic gold for our country for the first time ever.
“We were completely naïve to how many people were watching and supporting us back home. It was amazing to step out and realise that. But in that moment, I didn't want that bubble to end. I wanted to stay in it forever.”
Sportsbeat 2026