Three Team GB gold medallists spoke to 100 schoolchildren at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis centre last week to inspire more young people to play hockey ahead of the Women’s World Cup later this summer.

Shona McCallin, Nicola White and Georgie Twigg, who were all part of the GB team which won gold at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, all visited the centre in East London to mark 100 days till the Hockey World Cup kicks off in London in July.

A total of 16 teams will compete at the centre on the Olympic Park as part of the World Cup, with England hoping to lift the trophy on home soil. The tournament starts on Saturday, July 21 and runs for two weeks, with England being drawn in pool B alongside the USA, India, and Ireland.

The event last week formed a part of England Hockey’s project to inspire more children to play the sport, with schools in Waltham Forest, Redbridge and Tower Hamlets, among others, all taking part in the programme.

School children also got to catch a glimpse of the Hockey World Cup trophy and McCallin, who is hoping to be a part of the England squad later this year, is excited at the prospect of playing on home soil.

She said: “Competing in tournaments is always such an honour, but to play in front of our English fans at home, in a World Cup will be really special.

“As a team we aim to inspire as many people as possible to play hockey, so to have the opportunity to coach and speak to 100 schoolchildren 100 days out from the World Cup is brilliant.”