With over 340,000 fans attending in person and matches broadcasted globally, it is fair to say that the 14 action packed days of Olympic hockey have been a wonderful advert for the sport.
As with any Olympics, the sporting legacy left behind once the greatest sporting spectacle on earth leaves town is a question often raised. However, at the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium, no stone was left unturned in an effort to capitalise on the amazing shop window that the Olympic Games provides.
Located immediately in front of the main spectator entrance, the Hockey Initiation Zone provided visitors with the chance to learn more about a sport they may have been seeing for the very first time. Young and old were all given the chance to pick up a stick and ball, with various fun challenges and inflatable courses providing huge entertainment.
Over the course of the Paris Olympics 2024, numerous international players both past and present made appearances at the Hockey Initiation Zone, including Ireland goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, Argentina legend Delfina Merino and various members of the France men’s and women’s teams that competed at the Yves-du-Manoir Hockey Stadium.
Arguably the biggest name to attend was Argentine superstar Luciana Aymar, the eight-times FIH Player of the Year who is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to ever pick up a stick. Aymar was quick to highlight the significance of the Hockey Initiation Zone, explaining the responsibility she personally feels in promoting the sport.
”As former players we have the important mission to continue to develop the sport everywhere we can”, said Aymar, who thrilled awestruck youngsters with a brief skills and shooting session. “This is a great way to bring people to hockey, and hockey to families. Because hockey is a family, so being part of it is a great decision. As a former player I try to do it all the time, to continue developing and promoting the sport that I loved so much.”
It was a sentiment echoed by France men’s ace Timothée Clément, who beamed with happiness throughout his visit to the Hockey Initiation Zone. “Of course, it's important to come here and play with the kids”, said Clément, the winner of the FIH Hockey Stars Young Player of the Year Award in 2021-22. “When I was young I loved to do things like this, to play and meet international players. So for sure, I feel it is important for me to do the same, especially here at the Olympics in my home country.”
Aside from the important promotional work of the Hockey Initiation Zone – which over the 14 competition days welcomed more than 25,000 people, many trying the sport for the very first time – Clément spoke openly about having the opportunity to showcase his sport to a new audience.
“It was very cool to play in France, with so many France fans coming to support us despite not knowing too much about hockey”, said the 24-year-old attacker, who scored four goals in five matches at his home Olympic Games. “I really hope people will become more interested in playing this amazing game. I mean, it feels like people have really enjoyed coming here and being part of this.”
His views were echoed by Paola Le Nindre, Victoire Arnaud and Eve Verzura, all members of the French female team. “Usually, we play in front of a hundred people. Having an audience of 10,000 people chanting our name and singing "Allez les Bleues!", in a benevolent atmosphere, it was crazy! And above all, we introduced hockey to France and a lot of people thanked us for that! We knew that behind the sports experience there was a media objective to promote hockey in our country. We knew that it was bound to have a positive impact. And we’ve seen it,” they said.
The Gory family, who we spoke to in the Hockey Initiation Zone, were one of many French sports fans who bought hockey tickets on something of a whim. Having made the near six-hour journey from their home in south-west Dordogne, the Gorys told us that it was the fascinating history of the Yves-du-Manoir Stadium – the venue that staged the Olympic Games in 1924 as well as numerous other iconic sporting events - that had attracted them.
“We bought tickets for my father as he knows so much about this stadium”, said Lilian Gory, while passing a ball around with dad, Philippe, and sibling Solène. “It is so exciting to be here at the Olympics, and it is cool to try and see something like hockey, which is completely new to us.”
The Gorys were one of countless French families to get their first taste of our enthralling sport, and while the results of their teams did not go as hoped, it was clear from the deafening noise during France’s matches that they were loving every second of the action.
It may be many years before we know in real terms the impact the Olympic Games Paris 2024 has on hockey participation numbers within France, but there is already a very real legacy in place for Timothée, Paola, Victoire, Eve and their fellow French internationals. The sparkling new stadium created to host the Pitch 2 matches at Yves-du-Manoir is to become the new home of the French Hockey Federation (FFH), providing a central base for decades to come.
“We have never had a home of hockey before, so it is amazing for French hockey. We’ll also play our French league finals there, and hopefully some other big competitions after this. It is such a good thing for us, crazy for the sport in France,” Timothée said.
For more information about the fabulous Olympic hockey competitions that were played at Paris 2024, visit Olympics.Hockey.
