Olympic Dream Lives On for Hockey Player Who Amputated Finger to Reach Paris
Australia’s Matthew Dawson initially thought his Olympic journey was over after a freak accident, but a bold decision has kept him in the running for a medal.
It’s been 20 years since the Kookaburras, Australia’s men’s hockey team, last won Olympic gold. Driven by the desire to surpass their heartbreaking silver medal finish in Tokyo—where they lost to Belgium in an intense, drawn-out shootout—some members of the squad have taken extreme measures, including amputating a finger.
Two weeks ago, Kookaburras defender Matthew Dawson suffered a severe injury during a warm-up match in Perth when another player’s stick struck his hand, leaving his finger bloodied and partially severed. Devastated, Dawson immediately feared his third Olympic campaign was over before it even began.
“My first thought was, ‘That’s it. The Olympic dream is over,’” Dawson told the New York Times.
However, after consulting a surgeon, Dawson was presented with two options. He could undergo surgery to reattach the tip of his right ring finger, a procedure that would require months of recovery with no guarantee of full function. Or, he could have the tip amputated and be ready to compete in Paris.
Despite his wife’s caution not to make any “rash” decisions, Dawson opted for amputation. “We all make sacrifices and choices,” he said. “This is the choice I made to perform at the Olympics.”
Dawson’s commitment to the Olympic cause has drawn significant international attention in recent days. “The story has blown up a lot more than I thought it would, to be honest,” he told the ABC.
At 30 years old, with the possibility that this might be his final Olympics, Dawson is confident he made the right decision. “If losing the top of my finger was the price I had to pay, that’s what I would do,” he said.
The Kookaburras have been Olympic powerhouses for decades, securing podium finishes at every Games from Barcelona 1992 to London 2012, including a gold medal in Athens 2004. However, a quarter-final loss to the Netherlands in Rio ended that streak, leading to a period of reflection for the team. They made a strong comeback three years ago, though the painful shootout loss in Tokyo still lingers in their minds.
As they head to Paris, the Kookaburras are determined to turn their Tokyo silver into gold. But they face tough competition, with the growing depth and talent in world hockey. Last year, they were knocked out by Germany in the World Cup semi-final and lost to the Netherlands in the third-place match.
Australia’s campaign begins on Saturday against Argentina, the 2016 gold medalists. In the days following, they’ll face a Tokyo final rematch against Belgium, along with matches against India, New Zealand, and Ireland in a challenging Group B. The Kookaburras must finish in the top four to progress to the quarter-finals, and the higher their ranking, the better their chances of avoiding the heavyweights in Group A.
Despite Australia’s proud Olympic history in hockey, along with 15 Champions Trophy titles and six Commonwealth Games gold medals, Hockey Australia has struggled off the field to secure commercial support for the team.
In January, team goalkeeper Andrew Charter voiced his frustration on LinkedIn about the lack of a jersey sponsor ahead of the Olympics. “Today is a sad day for my sport,” the veteran wrote. “For the first time in my 14-year career, I was presented with my playing jersey lacking a major front-of-shirt sponsor. That’s right, the Kookaburras—one of Australia’s most iconic sporting teams—are unable to find a major corporate sponsor seven months out from the Paris Olympics.” His post gained media attention, and by May, Kookaburra Sport had signed on as a shirt sponsor.
Whether it’s amputating a finger or turning to LinkedIn to find a sponsor, the Kookaburras are clearly stopping at nothing in their quest for gold in Paris.
