CWG 2022 Hockey LIVE: Meet the bravest England Hockey player who is blind from one eye but committed to beat India and win GOLD: Follow INDIA vs ENGLAND Hockey LIVE

CWG 2022 Hockey LIVE: England’s masked hero in the Hockey team, Sam Ward is ready to show that he is “invincible” as he gears up to lead his team to a podium finish in the upcoming Commonwealth Games at Birmingham. Ward suffered gruesome head injury in 2019 that has made him blind in the left eye but the 31-year old overcame the career-threatening injury and made a heroic return to the squad during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and has been an integral part of the English side. Follow CWG 2022 LIVE updates on InsideSport.IN 

Speaking ahead of the Commonwealth Games to The Sun, Sam Ward said “The Commonwealth Games is really tough as a tournament but we are the third-best ranked nation, so hopefully we can go and perform to that level and maybe even raise a couple of spots. That is the dream.”

Ward, who has been playing as England’s forward since 2014 suffered the horrific injury during an Olympic qualification match against Malaysia in 2019 when a shot from team-mate Harry Martin hit him on the left eye. Ward lost sight with a crushed retina and also suffered seven facial fractures. He then underwent surgery where the top of his head was cut from ear to ear and four plates and 31 screws were inserted inside his face. However his vision didn’t return to his left eye.

However being the fighter that he is, Ward returned to the Olympic squad 20 months after the incident by wearing a face mask. He was Great Britain’s highest-goal scorer in the tournament but his team missed out narrowly on podium finish. “It was a big step to get back on the pitch after that injury. But all athletes are wired differently or they wouldn’t achieve what they have. I’m probably wired even more differently — you would probably say I’m just a bit stupid really. Getting back on the pitch was massive”

“If I hadn’t come back and played as before, with bravery, I would be a waste of space and not worth my place in the side. I wanted to come back and give it the full hog. If anything the mask makes me feel a bit invincible and probably more stupid.”

Ward now hopes to continue his good show for England this time at the Commonwealth Games and hopes to get a medal this time. “Getting a medal would mean the world to me because I haven’t got one since the incident. So to take home any sort of medal after that would be pretty big because it’s a sign of carrying on and a sense of achievement.”

England won the bronze in the last edition of the Commonwealth Games at Gold Coast by defeating India 6-0 in the Bronze medal match. This time, they will be playing in front of their home crowd and are placed in a group that has India, Canada, Wales and Ghana. The hosts will begin their campaign by facing Ghana in the opener on 29th July, Friday.

Ward meanwhile hopes to continue playing for his country as long as possible. “If I had retired after Tokyo I’d be sat here now thinking about ‘What if?’ and regretting it. My plan is to keep grinding and keep going for as long as I can until I don’t earn my selection any more,” he concluded.