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NIKKI HUDSON

Olympic Gold Medallist and World XI Captain

Nikki Hudson was formerly the world's No.1 women's hockey player.

An Olympic Gold Medallist and 16-year veteran of the Australian team, she retired on 13 March 2009 after a glittering career at international level

One of the most successful players in the game's history, she was captain of the national team at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, where she became the first person to play 300 games for Australia.In total she played 303 games for her country and scored 99 goals.

She made her debut with the Hockeyroos aged just 17 and has played in three Olympic Games, three Commonwealth Games and three World Cups, collecting four gold medals from the most prestigious events in the game.

Her No.1 career highlight was a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she was the tournament's leading goal-scorer, before she further underlined her international standing when named captain of the World XI by the International Federation of Hockey in 2006.

She has also earned two gold medals from the highly-regarded Champions Trophy, and has rarely been part of a team that has finished any international competition lower than third place.

As the captain of the Hockeyroos and the Queensland Scorchers, Hudson's advice for younger players is simple: "If you are prepared to work hard and step outside your comfort zone you can achieve what you set your mind to!"

Nikki Hudson: How The Courier-Mail saw her retirement.

Nikki Hudson ... her career in pictures

Hudson sets standard for others - Toowoomba Chronicle