Hockey player Duco Telgenkamp will skip the European Championship with the Dutch national team this summer. The striker, who secured gold for Oranje last summer, is taking a rest period.
“I feel in every way that I want to initiate this reset now. On a mental, physical, societal, and social level,” Telgenkamp, 22, tells hockey.nl. “It was a long season after a hectic summer with the Games in Paris.”
Telgenkamp was the celebrated man for Oranje last year by converting the decisive shoot-out in the Olympic final against Germany. As a result, the hockey players became Olympic champions for the first time since 2000.
The final had a sequel for Telgenkamp, because after his winning shoot-out he ran to the German goalkeeper and provoked him with a finger in front of his mouth. That led to a controversy. Telgenkamp later apologized.
Telgenkamp made his tournament debut for Oranje at the European Championship in Mönchengladbach two years ago. That was a great success. Telgenkamp became the top scorer at the European Championship, and Oranje seized the European title. The striker has played 29 international matches so far, in which he scored nineteen goals.
The Netherlands will play no fewer than eight matches in the Pro League from June 7 to June 18 in preparation for the European Championship, which will again be held in Mönchengladbach from August 8 to 17. Six of the eight matches will be played in the Wagener Stadium in Amstelveen. The matches with England are in London.