GO GOLD Athlete of the Week: Olivia Back

The next athlete to be focused on as a part of our GO GOLD Athlete of the Week coverage is hockey star, Olivia Back.

A talented performer at club and national level, the Charnwood based athlete has recently bounced back from injury to return to the pitch – where she continues to impress. An ankle injury threatened to derail her season but having recently made it back to full fitness, Back is set to return to action for both Leicester and England. An Under-18's spot is hers despite the injury, a big indication as to her spot in the side.

This year has also provided the step up to senior first team hockey, with call-ups to the Leicester Ladies first team just rewards after a succession of fine performances.

And this all goes without the mention of her dad being a World Cup winner. Ex-Leicester Tigers man Neil Back starred 66 times for his country and played a pivotal role in the 2003 World Cup triumph. And with Olivia set to rise through the world of hockey, sporting success seems to run in the family.

Here, Olivia takes us through some things you might not know about her…

1) If I was a superhero I would have super speed powers in order to beat any opponent.

2) My biggest challenge has been my recent syndesmosis injury. Being out of the game for 3 months it was a challenge to retain my place in the England U18's squad and return to Leicester's first team for the final few league fixtures in the National Prem.

3) If I was trapped on a desert island, my three essential items would be a bikini, sun cream and an endless supply of water!

4) I don't have a typical day as they vary massively. However a typical England training day is;

-9:15: meet (this can be anywhere in the country so an early start for most!)

-9:30-10:00: team analysis

-10:00-12:00: pitch session, starting with a warm up and a 1000yards fitness test.

-12:00-1:00: Strength and conditioning session

-1:00-2-00: lunch

-2:00-3:00: a second team analysis

-3:00-5:15: 2nd pitch session and a lengthy cool down!!

5) My friends would definitely describe me as committed and probably a bit boring as I don't have the time to go out very much as sport and study are my priorities!!

To read what Olivia is up to and how she is progressing, visit http://www.lrsport.org/profiles/olivia-grace-back.