United States Field Hockey Association
A member of the United States Olympic Committee

Field Hockey's Rechelle Hawks to Read Athletes Oath

The sport of field hockey will be well represented during the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games, when two-time gold medallist and four-time Olympian Rechelle Hawkes of Australia reads the athletes oath Friday night.

Hawkes will take the oath on behalf of the 10, 700 athletes attending the games and will pledge that all athletes will compete in the true spirit of sportsmanship and abide by the rules for the glory of sport and the honour of their country.

The athletes oath is usually read by a prominent athlete of the host country and is considered one of the Ceremony's highest honors.

Hawkes is only the second Australian athlete to have the honor after middle distance champion John Landy performed the role at the Melbourne Games in 1956.

Athlete's oath:

"In the name of all competitors, I promise that we shall take part in these Olympic Games, respecting and abiding by the rules which govern them, in the true spirit of sportsmanship, for the glory of sport and the honor of our teams."