There’s blood all over the artificial turf of Yves-du-Manoir stadium. Joosje Burg is lying down, her face accidentally hit by a ball sent by Argentina’s Agustina Gorzelany. It was a close-range shot that went directly in her nose.
After some worrying moments, Burg is able to stand up and is taken away with bloody towels covering her face. An ambulance will be waiting for her to perform the first scan.
Even Gorzelany is comforted by some team-mates, still in shock over what she has seen. Assistants will be sent to wipe the blood off the turf. It was that bad.
GOLDEN TEAM
While the 27-year-old Burg is one of the best Dutch hockey stars, the Netherlands can survive without her. It is, after all, the world’s best hockey team, with nine world champions and three gold medals in the last 4 Olympics.
Their movements are precious and gracious, the ball goes from right to left with snooker precision. It’s fun to watch them. They can score from close and long range, both beautiful and ugly goals. Their defending is tight, the goalkeeper is fantastic. They play every game as on home turf, an orange brigade that follow them whenever they go.
The last time the Netherlands lost an Olympic game was in Athens 2004, the final against Germany. The second place in Rio 2016 was only decided on penalty shootouts, after a draw. The Dutch girls are almost unbeatable.
WARRIOR IS BACK
While the semi-final against Argentina goes on comfortably, the Dutch leading 2-0, there will be surprising comeback. In the second half, Burg will be back on the game. She has a bandage on her nose, a swollen forehead, a black eye. She has no jersey to wear, though. Her original is now more red than orange. The assistants then make a 1 and a 6 with tape and post it on a new, numberless jersey.
The game has no setbacks and the Netherlands will add an extra goal for the final 3-0.
Of course, despite the initial diagnosis from the doctors, Burg was not in a good shape to keep on. She couldn’t breathe well with the cotton plugged in her nose and she started to feel unwell.
EXAMPLE
The Clockwise Orange could have easily performed without Burg, but her presence back on the field reaffirms that message of invincibility, the commitment that goes beyond the ‘just business’ tag.
Burg will not be present in the final against China for the gold medal, replaced by Pien Dicke, who will have her Olympic debut on Friday.
“This is of course a huge downer for Joosje and all of us,” said coach Paul van Ass.
“We don’t want to take the risk that her nose will get a tap again tomorrow during the game or will bleed. Medically, she could play, but we also want to protect Joosje. We have to perform to the maximum tomorrow and take no risk in an Olympic final”.
While Burg was the one that convinced the doctors that she could continue against Argentina, in this case, the risk was too big. However, that doesn’t change the equation. Her willingness to be back with a smashed face and a broken nose also explains why the Dutch have something extra.
And why women’s hockey is a sport that gives few chances to anyone that is not wearing an orange jersey.
Credit: AIPS Media
