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Former star goalie treats COVID patients

Posted April. 02, 2020 07:49,   

Updated April. 02, 2020 07:49

한국어

The former goalkeeper who blocked whizzing balls now wears a surgical mask instead of a head protector. She no longer wears protective equipment on her arms and legs but protective gear.

Joyce Sombroek, former leading goal keeper of the Dutch women’s field hockey team, has stepped up to block COVID 19 instead of hockey pucks. The International Hockey Federation reported Wednesday that “Sombroek joins the frontlines to fight COVID 19.” Sombroek, who attended 117 games as a member of the national team, helped lead the team’s victory in the 2011 Champions Hockey League and the 2012 London Olympic Games. After retiring in 2016, she studied medicine at university and is now studying to become a general practitioner.

Sombroek is working at a hospital in Aalsmeer, 13 kilometers away from Amsterdam. She answers calls from patients who have symptoms and treats patients visiting the hospital. COVID-19 cases in the Netherlands has exceeded 10,000 as of Wednesday. “I feel grateful that I have a job that services those in need,” she said.

Sombroek, who participated in the 2012 and 2015 Olympic Games, will join the Tokyo Olympics as a medical staff. “It will be an amazing experience, working at the Team Netherland Center to support medical treatment while rooting for my colleagues,” she said.


Yun-Cheol Jeong trigger@donga.com