2023 Women's African Olympic Qualifier facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
2023 Women's African Olympic Qualifier

African Hockey Road To Paris 2024
Tournament details
Host country	South Africa
City	Pretoria
Dates	29 October – 5 November
Teams	7 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)	Tuks Astro
Final positions
Champions	South Africa (5th title)
Runner-up	Nigeria
Third place	Kenya
Tournament statistics
Matches played	15
Goals scored	71 (4.73 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Tarryn Lombard (7 goals)
Best goalkeeper	Martha Uko
Fair play award	Zimbabwe
← 2019 (previous)

The 2023 Women's African Olympic Qualifier was a big field hockey tournament. It was held in Pretoria, South Africa, from 29 October to 5 November 2023. This event was super important because the winning team would get to play in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris!

Seven teams from across Africa competed. They all wanted to win and earn their spot at the Olympics. In the end, the team from South Africa won the tournament. This meant they qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

How Teams Qualified for the Tournament

Teams had to qualify for this tournament in different ways. Some teams were chosen based on their world rankings. Other teams played in special qualifying tournaments held earlier.

• South Africa and Ghana were chosen based on their world rankings.
• Kenya qualified from the Northeast African tournament.
• Nigeria and Zambia qualified from the Northwest African tournament.
• Zimbabwe and Namibia qualified from the Central-South Africa tournament.

Zambia was later added by the African Hockey Federation to make sure there were eight teams. However, one team later withdrew, so seven teams played in the end.

First Games: The Pool Rounds

The tournament started with teams playing in two groups, called pools. This was to see which teams would move on to the next stage.

Pool A Teams and Results

Pool A included South Africa, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe.

• South Africa won both their games. They scored lots of goals and didn't let any in!
• Nigeria won one game and lost one.
• Zimbabwe lost both their games.

The top two teams from Pool A, South Africa and Nigeria, moved on to the semi-finals. Zimbabwe went to play in the games for fifth to seventh place.

• 29 October 2023: South Africa beat Zimbabwe 10–0.
  • Goals for South Africa: Quanita Bobbs (3 goals), Ntsopa Mokoena (2 goals), Tarryn Lombard (2 goals), Jean-Leigh du Toit, Bianca Wood, Marie Louw.
• 30 October 2023: South Africa beat Nigeria 4–0.
  • Goals for South Africa: Tarryn Lombard, Bianca Wood, Celia Seerane, Kristen Paton.
• 1 November 2023: Nigeria beat Zimbabwe 2–1.
  • Goals for Nigeria: Comfort Saturday (2 goals).
  • Goals for Zimbabwe: A. Terblanche.

Pool B Teams and Results

Pool B had Kenya, Ghana, Zambia, and Namibia.

• Kenya won all three of their games. They were very strong!
• Ghana won two games and lost one.
• Zambia won one game and lost two.
• Namibia lost all three of their games.

The top two teams from Pool B, Kenya and Ghana, moved on to the semi-finals. Zambia and Namibia went to play in the games for fifth to seventh place.

• 29 October 2023: Ghana beat Namibia 2–1.
  • Goals for Ghana: Mavis Berko, Ernestina Coffie.
  • Goals for Namibia: Charlize Rix.
• 29 October 2023: Kenya beat Zambia 4–0.
  • Goals for Kenya: Flavia Mutiva (2 goals), Lucy Wachira, Maureen Okumu.
• 30 October 2023: Zambia beat Namibia 3–2.
  • Goals for Zambia: Martha Kalomo, Carol Nakombe, Christine Kaluba.
  • Goals for Namibia: Tisha Semedo, Adoré Meyer.
• 30 October 2023: Kenya beat Ghana 3–2.
  • Goals for Kenya: Eleanor Chebet, Grace Bwire, Maureen Okumu.
  • Goals for Ghana: Mavis Berko (2 goals).
• 1 November 2023: Ghana beat Zambia 7–1.
  • Goals for Ghana: Mavis Berko (2 goals), Doris Antwi (2 goals), Lydia Afriyie, Mercy Ackon, Vivian Narkuor.
  • Goals for Zambia: Margret Munthali.
• 1 November 2023: Kenya beat Namibia 1–0.
  • Goals for Kenya: Grace Bwire.

Games for Final Places

After the pool rounds, teams played more games to decide their final positions.

Fifth to Seventh Place Games

Zimbabwe, Namibia, and Zambia played to decide who would finish fifth, sixth, and seventh.

• 2 November 2023: Namibia beat Zimbabwe in a penalty shootout after a 2–2 draw.
  • Goals for Zimbabwe: A. Terblanche, Rumbidzaiishe Zimuto.
  • Goals for Namibia: Jahntwa Kruger, Tisha Semedo.
• 4 November 2023: Namibia beat Zambia 3–0 to finish in fifth place.
  • Goals for Namibia: Jahntwa Kruger (2 goals), Charlize Rix.

Semi-Finals and Finals

The top four teams (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Ghana) played in the semi-finals. The winners went to the final, and the losers played for third place.

• 3 November 2023: Nigeria beat Kenya 1–0 in a close game.
  • Goals for Nigeria: Benedicta Johnson.
• 3 November 2023: South Africa beat Ghana 7–0.
  • Goals for South Africa: Lombard, Kayla de Waal, Quanita Bobbs (2 goals), Celia Seerane, Marié Louw, Bianca Wood.

Third Place Game

• 5 November 2023: Kenya beat Ghana 3–1 to win the bronze medal.
  • Goals for Kenya: Caroline Guchu, Naom Kemunto, Eleanor Chebet.
  • Goals for Ghana: Mavis Berko.

The Grand Final

• 5 November 2023: South Africa played Nigeria in the final. South Africa won by a huge score of 9–0!
  • Goals for South Africa: Lombard (3 goals), Jean-Leigh du Toit, Quanita Bobbs, Bianca Wood, Taheera Augousti, Paris-Gail Isaacs, Kristen Paton.

South Africa's big win meant they were the champions and earned their spot at the 2024 Summer Olympics!

Final Standings

Here's how all the teams finished in the tournament:

• 1st Place:  South Africa (Qualified for the 2024 Summer Olympics!)
• 2nd Place:  Nigeria
• 3rd Place:  Kenya
• 4th Place:  Ghana
• 5th Place:  Namibia
• 6th Place:  Zambia
• 7th Place:  Zimbabwe

Top Goal Scorers

Many players scored goals in the tournament. Here are some of the top scorers:

• 7 goals:

* Tarryn Lombard (She was the top scorer!)

• 6 goals:

* Mavis Berko * Quanita Bobbs

• 4 goals:

* Bianca Wood

• 3 goals:

* Jahntwa Kruger

• 2 goals:

* Doris Antwi * Eleanor Chebet * Flavia Mutiva * Maureen Okumu * Lucy Wachira * Charlize Rix * Tisha Semedo * Comfort Saturday * Jean-Leigh du Toit * Marié Louw * Ntsopa Mokoena * Kristen Paton * Celia Seerane * Alexei Terblanche

• 1 goal:

* Mercy Ackon * Lydia Afriyie * Ernestina Coffie * Vivian Narkuor * Grace Bwire * Caroline Guchu * Naom Kemunto * Adoré Meyer * Benedicta Johnson * Taheera Augousti * Paris-Gail Isaacs * Kayla de Waal * Martha Kalomo * Christine Kaluba * Margret Munthali * Carol Nakombe * Rumbidzaiishe Zimuto

See also

• 2023 Men's African Olympic Qualifier
• Field hockey at the 2023 African Games