A warm weather training camp in Gibraltar next week could give Edinburgh hockey player, Andrew Sinclair the opportunity to play for Great Britain's under 21 hockey team during the Olympic Youth Festival in Sydney, Australia next month.

Following this summer's Home Nations Event, a GB squad of 28 players was assembled from which the Olympic Youth Festival team would be chosen.  The initial group has been whittled down through a series of training weekends at Bisham Abbey in England to the final cut of 18 players.  Nineteen year old Sinclair is still amongst them despite standing on the sidelines with a broken finger during the most recent training weekend.
 
“I was playing a game a month ago when I got hit with a stick and broke a joint in my finger,” said Sinclair, a second year student at Stirling University.  “It was very painful and I've only just got back from getting it out of plaster now.”
 
Supported by the Central Institute of Sport, Sinclair has had access to a sports doctor and physiotherapist to help him back on the road to recovery.  Next week's Gibraltar training will give him the opportunity to acquire some much needed fitness, and possibly elevate him from his current position as team reserve.
 
“The Central Institute has given me help with strength and conditioning, funding for travel and diet advice and the doctor has been a great help,” said Sinclair, who plays in midfield for his club, Inverleith but will move into defence if he is picked for the GB team.
 
“I've got to prove my fitness in Gibraltar and make sure I can play hockey.  I wasn't allowed to do anything when I went to Bisham Abbey last month, I had to go down and be with the squad but couldn't train.
 
“The team is going to Australia in January, flying out on the 2nd and coming back on the 22nd.  We're going across to play matches and getting used to the weather and conditions. The Youth Olympics are on for the last four days of that and I hope by the end to play in that.”