The
World Hockey Women’s Players of the Year for 2004 were
announced yesterday evening by International Hockey
Federation at the Jockey Club, Rosario.
Soledad Garcia (right photo) was
awarded the World Hockey Young Women’s Player of the Year
2004 and Luciana Aymar (left photo) the World Hockey Women’s
Player of the Year 2004.
With nearly 50% of all the votes
cast, Soledad Garcia was the overwhelming choice of the
players in the Young Player category. Though still only 23
years old, Soledad Garcia has continually caught the eye on
the international stage, since winning her first Young
Player of the Year award in 2002. She has played hockey
since she was six years old and was also part of the
‘Leonas’ (Argentina) team which won bronze at the Athens
Olympics, and gold at the 2002 Hockey World Cup in Perth.
Soledad wins her second WorldHockey Young Player of the Year
award, having already been selected in 2002.
A similar majority of 50% of all
the votes cast shows the domination on the world stage of
Luciana Aymar. Luciana has been a key figure in "Las Leonas"
team at the above events, also winning silver at the
previous Olympic Games in Sydney. Like Soledad, this is also
Luciana’s second WorldHockey Player of the Year Award,
following her first in 2001.
FIH Vice President, Tony von
Ondarza, commented, "The international players’ choices of
Soledad Garcia and Luciana Aymar are a tribute to
Argentina’s passion for hockey which we have seen
demonstrated so clearly by the sell-out crowds here at the
BDO Hockey Champions Trophy at the Jockey Club in Rosario."
Nominations and presentations for
the World Hockey Men’s Player of the Year will take place in
December, at the Samsung Hockey Champions Trophy, Men in
Lahore.