Anita Punt

Anita Punt

Punt at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Born	2 October 1987 Nelson, New Zealand
Height	1.63 m (5 ft 4 in)[1]
Playing position	Forward/Midfield
Senior career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–present	Capital
National team
2009–present	New Zealand	185	(41)
Medal record Women's field hockey Representing  New Zealand Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi Team competition 2014 Glasgow Tournament Champions Trophy 2011 Amstelveen Team Champions Challenge 2009 Cape Town Team

Anita Punt (born 2 October 1987)^[2] is a New Zealand field hockey player. She has competed for the New Zealand women's national field hockey team (the Black Sticks Women) since 2009, including for the team at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2012 Summer Olympics. ^[1]

Born in Nelson to Nicolaas and Adele Punt, Anita is of Dutch descent through her father and holds dual New Zealand and Dutch citizenship.^[3] She attended Waimea College in nearby Richmond, before moving to Wellington at age 18 to focus on her hockey with the Capital National Hockey League team.^[4] Punt was first selected for the Black Sticks Women in June 2009, along with ten other players as the Black Sticks squad was overhauled following its last place finish at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.^[5] She played her first match for New Zealand on 19 June 2009 against India in hometown Nelson.^[3]

Punt has a reputation for her speed, being touted as one of the fastest female hockey players in the world with a time over ten metres ranking her within the top eight of the Black Sticks Men's squad.^[6][7][8] In February 2013, Punt was entered as a wildcard entry into the annual International Track Meet in Christchurch,^[9] in which she won the 100 metres in 12.61 seconds (on a grass track and with a strong 2.9 m/s headwind), beating many seasoned New Zealand track athletes.^[10] She later won the 100 metres and 200 metres at the Porritt Classic in Hamilton,^[11] before competing in the New Zealand Track and Field Championships in March 2013 in Auckland. However, Punt was off pace and came fifth in the 100 metres, with a time of 12.23 seconds (wind +0.1 m/s).^[12]

As of August 2012, Punt resides on the North Shore of Auckland.^[13] She is a retail assistant by trade,^[2] but is currently studying veterinary nursing.^[13]

References

1. "Anita Punt - London 2012 Olympics". Retrieved 10 August 2012.
2. "Anita Punt - Hockey New Zealand". Retrieved 10 August 2012.
3. "Warming up for World Cup". Nelson Mail (via Stuff.co.nz). 23 August 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
4. Martin, Wayne (21 July 2012). "Going for gold: Local athletes' quest for Olympic glory". Nelson Mail (via Stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 12 August 2012.
5. "Fresh new talent defines the 2009 Black Sticks women's national squad". Hockey New Zealand. 2 June 2009. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
6. Geenty, Mark (20 July 2011). "Speed queen dishes out plenty of stick". The Dominion Post (via Stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 22 December 2012.
7. Worthington, Sam (16 June 2012). "Punt primed for the real deal this time around". The Dominion Post (via Stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 22 December 2012.
8. "In the Spotlight.... New Zealand Women -- A closer look at the 24 competing teams in London". International Hockey Federation (FIH). 12 July 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2012.
9. Johannsen, Dana (2 February 2013). "Athletics: Hockey ace keen to take on track stars". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
10. "Athletics: Hockey rep wins on track". The New Zealand Herald. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2013.
11. Goile, Aaron (11 February 2013). "Black Stick and track star: Hockey player wins sprints in Hamilton". Waikato Times. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
12. Johannsen, Dana (23 March 2013). "Athletics: NZ's new fastest man set on trimming time". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
13. Gallagher, Kerry (21 August 2012). "No medal a letdown". Rodney Times (via Stuff.co.nz). Retrieved 24 August 2012.