David Harte named best hockey goalkeeper in the world for second year in a row

WEST CORK’S very own David Harte has been named as the FIH Goalkeeper of the Year for the second year in a row!

Harte, from Ballinspittle, picked up the prestigious award following his heroics in 2016 that included captaining Ireland to their first Olympic Games in 108 years when the Green Machine competed at the Rio Olympic Games.

Harte also has a plethora of Goalkeeper of the Tournament awards to his name and is an integral part of not only the Green Machine but current EHL champions Kampong.

The achievement of the award is further solidified when looking at the other nominees; Juan Vivaldi (ARG); Jaap Stockmann (NED); Vincent Vanasch (BEL); Parattu Raveendran Sreejesh (IND). Vivaldi and Vanasch won gold and silver respectively at the Olympic Games in Rio this past summer, highlighting the stiff competition former Bandon Grammar School student David Harte was up against.

‘To win this award truly is an incredible honour and one which I am very proud to receive,’ Harte said.

‘Even to be nominated for a second time was more than I could have hoped for, especially given the world class goalkeepers involved such as Juan Vivaldi, Vincent Vanasch, Jaap Stockman and PR Sreejesh, all of whom are deserving of the title in this category.

‘Although it is an individual award, it partly belongs to my teams at both club and country level as I would not have made it here without them.’