TEAM GB hockey hopeful Harry Gibson says he’s had to dig deep to manage his mental health after the postponement of his wedding and the Olympic Games this year.

The Taunton-born goalkeeper, who attended Millfield School, was making final preparations to marry fiancée Jessica in October, the highlight of a summer that should have included the Tokyo Games in July.

COVID-19 meant both have been pushed back to 2021, and the 27-year-old said: “This was meant to be the best year ever and while I’m very lucky to have my health, it’s been rather rough for Jess and me.

“We gave ourselves a three-month window to postpone the wedding and ended up pulling the plug in June - the stress of it got too much.

“Tokyo was postponed on the day before my birthday, which was another thing ruined in 2020! I’d been targeting that Olympics since I was 15 because the dates worked out.

“My mental health has been very up and down this year,” added Gibson.

“The isolation of lockdown and the lack of human connection as someone who works in a team has been tough.

“The main focus is being present and taking it day-by-day.

“I got into long-distance running in lockdown, which as a goalkeeper is very alien, and I can’t stress enough how that did wonders for my mental health.

“It’s been a tough year, but I’ll look back on and be grateful for - eventually.”

Gibson’s Olympic dreams are still alive, and Great Britain’s preparations for the rearranged Games begin when they face the Netherlands and Belgium this month.

The stopper, who plays for national club champions Surbiton, wants to help Britain onto the podium in Tokyo and feels the Games will act as a global moment of celebration.

"We're ranked seventh in the world as a team and for us to get in the medals would be a brilliant achievement," he said.

"We absolutely want to win a medal and there's no reason we can't. We have a gold medal-winning coach in Danny Kerry, whose experience will be invaluable.

"It will be incredible for the world to come together next year and share in the Olympic spectacle.

"It's such a special event and there's never been a more important time for it than now. It will be the most memorable Olympics ever."

As the Official Estate Agent of Team GB, Purplebricks is supporting the national squad in the build-up to Tokyo. For more information contact ukpress@purplebricks.com or visit www.purplebricks.co.uk.