(Photo: © FIH / Gordon Morrison)

Australia’s most capped female hockey player, Nikki Hudson, announced her retirement from the sport at the State Hockey Centre, Brisbane on Wednesday.

Following recurring hamstring injuries which have plagued her over the past couple of years, Hudson today stated that she had fulfilled every goal she aspired to on the hockey field and believed now was the right time to announce her retirement from the sport.

“I feel the timing is right, as I have achieved all I ever wanted on the hockey field. I have been very fortunate to have played at three Olympics, which is the pinnacle for any hockey player,” said Hudson.

“Injuries I have been carrying for the past couple of years are causing me grief, and now I think I’m ready for life after hockey,” she said. 

The announcement was first made public to her team mates in the dressing room following the OAMPS Queensland Scorchers game against Western Australia in Perth on Saturday night.

Although the thought of a fourth Olympic Games sat in the back of her mind, Hudson’s body was telling her it time to move on from the sport she has played at the elite open level for 16 years. 

“I have made some wonderful friendships through the sport of hockey and played under some great coaches. I will miss the sport that has been such a big piece of my life for the past twenty six years,” Hudson stated. 

Hudson has decided not to play on with the OAMPS Queensland Scorchers for the remainder of this year’s Australian Hockey League, but hopes to play club hockey on the Gold Coast later this year.

Making her debut for the Hockeyroos as a seventeen-year-old, Hudson has played 303 international matches and scored 99 goals as an Australian striker.

The highlight of Hudson's career was competing for the Gold Medal winning Hockeyroos at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, where she was awarded top scorer at the tournament with six goals.

Hudson who played for the OAMPS Queensland Scorchers from 1993-2008 also represented Australia at the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, the 1998, 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and  Champions Trophy Tournaments in 2005, 2006 and 2008.

Hockey Australia and Hockey Queensland congratulates Nikki on her stellar hockey career and extends sincere gratitude to Nikki for her contribution to the sport of hockey.

Profile Nikki Hudson

DOB:    6 July 1976
Position:    Striker
Hockeyroos Shirt Number:    32
International Matches:    303
International Goals:    99
Australian Debut:    1993

Participation in International Tournaments:   

Olympic Games
2008 Beijing 5th
2004 Athens 5th
2000 Sydney 1st

World Cup
2006 Madrid 2nd
2002 Perth 4th
1998 Utrecht 1st

Champions Trophy
2008 Monchengladbach 5th
2006 Amsterdam 5th
2005 Canberra 2nd
2004 Rosario 4th
2002 Macau 4th
2001 Amsterdam 3rd
2000 Amsterdam 3rd
1999 Brisbane 1st
1997 Berlin 1st
1995 Mar Del Plata 1st

Commonwealth Games
2006 Melbourne 1st
2002 Manchester 3rd
1998 Kuala Lumpur 1st

Junior World Cup
1997 Korea 2nd

International/Domestic awards
Captain of the WorldHockey All Stars in 2006
Young Australian Sportsperson of the year

Source: Hockey Australia