Peter's Story
Peter’s Story
Western Australian hockey player Peter Haselhurst was selected for two Australian Olympic teams. His first selection came for Moscow 1980, but he did not compete after Australian hockey withdrew its teams amid the Olympic boycott. Haselhurst made his Olympic debut at Los Angeles 1984, aged 27.
Australia won all five of its preliminary matches in Los Angeles, defeating Malaysia, Spain, West Germany, India and the United States to finish first in its pool. A 1-0 semi-final defeat by Pakistan ended Australia’s unbeaten run before Great Britain prevailed 3-2 in the bronze medal match, leaving the Australians fourth.
Haselhurst enjoyed considerable success with Australia beyond the Olympic Games. He helped the national team win bronze at the 1982 World Cup in Bombay and was part of three consecutive Champions Trophy triumphs from 1983 to 1985. The crowning achievement came at the 1986 World Cup in London, where Australia defeated England 2-1 in the final to claim its first men’s world title.
Alongside his playing career, Haselhurst applied his studies in physics to hockey equipment. Frustrated by sticks breaking, he began experimenting with fibreglass and resin during the late 1970s. His work contributed to the development of stronger composite hockey sticks and established a business that grew internationally. Haselhurst’s achievements as a player were recognised with induction into the Hockey Australia Hall of Fame in 2021.
