The road to Rio: Hockeyroo Anna Flanagan, 23, on her fight for a second chance at the podium in 2016 after missing out on a medal at the London Olympics
- Anna Flanagan, 23, is a defender/midfielder with the Hockeyroos
- She competed in the 2012 London Olympics when she was 20 years old
- Anna's father, Fred, trained her until she moved to Perth at 18
- The gruelling training regime in Perth saw Anna constantly tired
- She was diagnosed with an iron deficiency and started to eat more meat
- Anna hopes to make the 2016 Rio Olympics team
- When she is not training, she promotes women and girls in sport
Anna Flanagan had spent six months chasing the same dream.
She was 20 years old and about to compete in her first Olympic Games, the journey there had been an emotional one, but nothing could compare to the feeling of elation that came when she stood alongside her team in a stadium full of fans.
The highs of the 2012 London Olympics were a long way from her Canberra home where Anna had trained with her father since she was five years old.
Today Anna, now 23, is training with the Hockeyroos squad ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympics and told Daily Mail Australia she would not be where she is today without the support of her dad.
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Rising star: Anna Flanagan, 23, competed in the 2012 London Olympics with the Hockeyroos when she was 20 years old
Family support: She said she would not be where she is today without the support of her father and former coach, Fred Flanagan (right)
‘He coached me until I had to move to Perth,’ Anna said.
‘Because we had that coaching relationship growing up I was probably unable to express some of those emotions and the appreciation I had for him.
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‘I think having a parent as a coach, having that closeness, you do have those fights you might not have with someone else.
‘At the same time they’re really honest with you … and don’t sugar coat it.’
On the field: Growing up Anna had a coaching relationship with her father, and found it hard to tell him how much she appreciated his support
Tough love: The father/coach dynamic meant Anna was coached honestly and her father did not 'sugar coat' anything
Anna moved to Perth when she was just 18 years old to pursue her hockey career.
In the same year she had her international debut in a test against Korea.
Her talent on the field is undeniable, but training at such a high level took a toll on the then teenager.
Stepping out: At 18 years old Anna made the move from Canberra to Perth to continue her hockey career
Representing her country: The same year she had her international debut in a test against Korea
‘When I moved to Perth hockey became a full-time thing and was that much more intense,’ she said.
‘I was very tired… at training I wasn’t able to complete run-out sessions and I was sleeping a lot in the day.’
Anna symptoms were caused by an iron deficiency, a condition she was able to manage by changing her diet.
Tough training: The grueling training regime coupled with living out of home saw Anna fall victim to fatigue
Fitness first: Her increased tiredness and inability to train at her best was caused by an iron deficiency that she overcame by changing her diet
‘I’ve changed my diet and eat a lot more red meat,’ Anna, who has partnered with Australian Beef, said.
‘Once I changed those small things it made a huge difference in how I felt and how I was able to perform.’
The change in diet kept Anna on top of her game, which is where she needed to be to keep up with the grueling pace of the Hockeyroos who train six days a week, with an additional two to three recovery sessions.
Full-time job: In the lead-up to the Olympics the Hockeyroos trained six times a week in addition to recovery sessions
Fighting fit: She incorporated more red meat in to her diet and saw an improvement in her energy levels
‘It takes up a lot of time, when I’m not on the field I’m basically recovering and resting and you don’t have time to do much else,’ she said.
‘You just dedicate six months to that one goal and … it is quite stressful because of the selection process.
‘Going in to Rio at 24 I feel a lot older than I am.’
Wise beyond her years: ‘Going in to Rio at 24 I feel a lot older than I am,' Anna said
Olympic dream: Anna hopes to be selected from the Hockeyroos squad to again represent her country at the 2016 Rio Olympics
The Hockeyroos placed fifth in the 2012 London Olympics, and Anna described missing out on the finals as ‘heart-breaking’.
‘At the same time it was still the best experience of my life,’ she said.
‘The whole family was there, mum and dad, and it was really exciting to share that with them.’
'The best experience of my life': While the Hockeyroos missed out on the finals at the 2012 London Olympics, it was still an incredible experience for Anna
As well as her Olympic bid, Anna has competed in the Commonwealth Games were the team won gold in both 2010 and 2014 and played in the World League.
When she is not on the field Anna, who has a degree in journalism, is an advocate for women in sport.
‘I hope we can bridge the gap in recognition and also the media coverage, and I think it’s going in the right direction, but there is a way to go,’ she said.
‘We do want young girls playing sport and being involved in such an inclusive and healthy environment so I hope that with strong female role models we are able to do that.’
Role model: Anna promotes women in sport and hopes to bridge the gap in terms of recognition and media coverage
Social presence: She has more than 50,000 followers on Instagram and has done some modelling
Anna is leading the way with more than 50,000 followers on Instagram and 19,900 followers on Twitter.
Her high profile has seen take part in modelling, and while she loves fashion, she goal is to promote a fit, healthy lifestyle.
Anna will train with the Hockeyroos squad in the lead up to Rio and hopes to again be selected to represent her country at the Olympics.
She encouraged Australians to get behind the team.
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