After witnessing more than a dozen
events and nine British medals, it may have looked as though there was
nothing left on the Olympic schedule for her to get excited about. But that's without reckoning on the Duchess of Cambridge's first true love – hockey.
Kate,
who was captain of the hockey team when she was a pupil at Marlborough
College, was enthusiastically supporting the British women's hockey team
yesterday as they won their first Olympic medal in 20 years, taking the
tally of medals she has seen to ten.
Wearing a sleeveless white Team GB top with her access all areas pass around her neck, she jumped up and down clapping and cheering as the girls beat New Zealand 3-1 to win the bronze. After the match, Kate went to congratulate the players and posed for pictures with them at the Riverbank Arena in Stratford.
The Duchess has been a tireless supporter of the London Games. Her trip to the hockey was her 19th Olympics engagement since the Games began, including the opening ceremony and meetings with athletes and volunteers. And she seems to be something of a lucky mascot given the number of medals she has seen Team GB win. Five of the ten have been golds.
The Duchess has chosen to make solo visits to a number of less well-known sports, as well as joining the royals on their usual outings to events like the dressage.
Earlier this week she surprised spectators by turning up alone to the raucous women's boxing final.
Kate happily took a ringside seat among crowds of noisy, beer-swilling fans to watch what was to become one of the most boisterous events of the Olympics. Judging by her facial expressions, she hadn't been entirely prepared for how brutal the fight would be.
She was seen wincing and hiding behind her hands as boxer Nicola Adams slugged it out with arch-rival Ren Cancan, from China, at the ExCel centre.
But the Duchess was praised for raising the profile of the under-funded sport and recognising the success of Adams, who fought her way up from a Leeds council estate to win the first ever women's boxing gold.
In another low-key appearance, Kate sat down next to star-struck 19-year-old British gymnast Kristian Thomas at the gymnastics on Sunday and chatted to him as they watched his colleagues on the pommel horse. And she has cheered on the British handball team and British synchronised swimmers at their events.
She has also made three separate trips to visit athletes and volunteers to thank them for their contributions to the games.
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| Goal! The Duchess of Cambridge was joined at the Riverbank Plaza by Dame Kelly Holmes and both women were delighted with the result. cheering and clapping throughout the game. |
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (C) attends the Women's Hockey bronze
medal match between New Zealand and Great Britain on Day 14 of the
London 2012 Olympic Games at Riverbank Arena Hockey Centre on August 10,
2012 in London, England.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (C) applauds as she stands alongside
former hockey player Richard Leman (L), rower Katherine Grainger (R) and
Dame Kelly Holmes during the Women's Hockey bronze medal match between
New Zealand and Great Britain on Day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge talks to British Hockey players after
the Women's Hockey bronze medal match between New Zealand and Great
Britain.
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| The Duchess of Cambridge looks like she's joining in a huddle with Team GB's women's hockey team after their bronze medal match against New Zealand. |
She told the team: 'Well done, I really enjoyed the game and the atmosphere.'
