Chloe Watkins: ‘I knew I needed a break but I didn’t feel like I was ready to retire’
Refreshed Ireland hockey star on stepping away from the international game and why she is desperate to get another crack at the Olympics
Chloe Watkins (31) is the oldest member of the Ireland squad and the most experienced with 237 senior caps. Photo: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile
It was never Chloe Watkins’ intention to stay away as long as she did. A two-year break from the Ireland hockey squad? That wasn’t inked in on the wall planner.
When Watkins decided to take a break from international hockey after the World Cup qualifiers in October 2021, it was meant to be a breather, a brief dip into normalcy while completing her accountancy exams and getting her work career off the ground.
