EuroHockey Championships: England name men's and women's squads for Belgium

Image source, Getty Images

Image caption, Ashley Jackson returns to the England side as the all-time leading scorer and made his debut at 19

England have named their men's and women's squads for the EuroHockey Championships in Belgium this month.

Veteran Ashley Jackson, 31, returns to the 18-player men's squad for his first major tournament since Rio 2016.

Shona McCallin, who was part of GB's Olympic gold medal-winning women's team in Brazil, is back after suffering concussion in February 2018.

begins in Antwerp on 16 August with the winners qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics next year.

A victory for either England team would mean Great Britain qualifies for the 2020 Games, but if they fail to win the title in Belgium, GB will play in a two-legged winner-takes-all Olympic qualifier at home in November.

Five men will make their championship debuts in Belgium, including 19-year-old Zach Wallace, with Adam Dixon captaining the team for the first time in a major tournament.

Men's head coach Danny Kerry says his squad is the "best blend" for the demands of the tournament, while women's coach Mark Hager says he is "excited for the challenge" and that Olympic qualification is "on the mind".

England's men will be in a pool with Belgium, Spain and Wales, while the women will play Germany, Ireland and Belarus.

England men's squad

David Ames (Holcombe), Will Calnan (Hampstead & Westminster), Brendan Creed (Surbiton), Adam Dixon (C, Beeston), James Gall (Surbiton), Harry Gibson (GK, Surbiton), Chris Griffiths (East Grinstead), Ashley Jackson (Old Georgians), Harry Martin (Hampstead & Westminster), George Pinner (GK, Old Georgians), Phil Roper (Wimbledon), Ian Sloan (Wimbledon), Tom Sorsby (Surbiton), Zach Wallace (Surbiton), Jack Waller (Wimbledon), Sam Ward (Old Georgians), Henry Weir (Wimbledon), Ollie Willars (Beeston)

England women's squad

Giselle Ansley (Surbiton), Grace Balsdon (Hampstead & Westminster), Emily Defroand (Surbiton), Sarah Evans (Surbiton), Maddie Hinch (GK, SCHC), Tess Howard (Durham University), Jo Hunter (Surbiton), Shona McCallin (Holcombe), Hannah Martin (Surbiton), Lily Owsley (Hampstead & Westminster), Hollie Pearne-Webb (C, Surbiton), Izzy Petter (Surbiton), Suzy Petty (Wimbledon), Ellie Rayer (East Grinstead), Amy Tennant (GK, Reading), Anna Toman (Wimbledon), Susannah Townsend (Canterbury), Laura Unsworth (East Grinstead)