Ambrosia Malone

Malone was born in Southport, Gold Coast, Queensland, and currently lives with her family on the Gold Coast. Hockey After representing Australia at junior level at the FIH 2016 Junior World Cup (bronze medal) Malone made her senior international debut in a test series against Spain in January 2018. Malone was permanently elevated into the Hockeyroos squad a few months later and was joint leading goal scorer in her first senior international tournament. Malone was nominated as an FIH Women's Rising Star later that same year. Malone has been in the Hockeyroos ever since and has competed at two FIH World Cups, the Tokyo Olympic Games and the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Education and career Malone graduated from Trinity Lutheran College in 2015. During her school years Malone was highly regarded for her ambitious attitude and natural ability towards all sports. In 2015 she was appointed Girl Captain of the entire Qld School Sport team (around 400 athletes) at the 2015 Pan Pacific Games. Malone was selected in both the School Sport Australia national hockey team (2013, 2014) and the national football team (2015). She also competed at the 2010 School Sport Australia Cross Country nationals, and in numerous Queensland School Sport track and field state championships during her school years in sprints, long-distance and hurdles events. Her school results (including achieving dux of Physical Education) combined with her outstanding sports record saw her gain direct entry into Griffith University on a full scholarship. She graduated from Griffith University in 2019 with a BA Sport Development and currently works as a sports coordinator at a leading Queensland college when not competing. Football As a junior player, Malone also represented Australia internationally in football when selected in the 2010 Football Australia U13 Women's team which competed in the AFC Festival of Football in Vietnam. A natural left-footer, she was the only U12 player selected in the group and held down the left defender position. She was named in the Football Australia All Stars (national) junior teams for her age each subsequent year and in 2012, aged just U14, was the youngest player named in the Football Australia U17 Junior World Cup Squad. In 2013 (aged U15) Malone was offered a place at the Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) football program, however in accepting she was required to give up all other sporting activities including her school sport. She declined this offer, preferring to play a range of sports (including football) for both school and association teams, until selected for the Hockeyroos. She still enjoys playing football with friends whenever possible. ==International hockey career==

Junior national team Malone was part of the Australian women's junior national team 'The Jillaroos' that won bronze at the 2016 Hockey Junior World Cup in Chile. Senior national team In May 2018, Malone was officially raised into the Australian national squad. She scored her first international goal in May 2018, at the 2018 Women's Tri-Nations Hockey Tournament in New Zealand, in a match against Japan. Malone qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics by being selected in the final team of 16 in the Hockeyroos Olympics squad. Despite being undefeated throughout the pool matches, the Hockeyroos unexpectedly lost 1–0 to India in the quarterfinals and were out of medal contention. During the 2022 Commonwealth Games semifinal match penalty shootout against India, a technological failure meant the eight-second count-down clock did not start when Malone began her shootout. Malone was distracted by the calls from technical bench officials to stop the shootout, but continued with her attempt as the on-field umpire had not heard the calls (or blown her whistle). Malone's shot was unsuccessful but because of the distraction and the fact that the eight-second clock had not been visible on the big screen for her first attempt, she was told she had to retake the attempt. This second attempt was successful, as were two of her teammates', and Australia won the shootout 3–0. Despite none of the errors being the fault of Malone, and despite the distraction she experienced as a result of hearing calls to stop from the tech bench, she was later criticised by Indian fans for retaking her attempt and helping her team qualify for the final. International goals ==Recognition==

At just 20 years of age, and in her debut year for Australia, Malone was one of the five nominees for the 2018 FIH Women's Rising Star of the Year Award. ==References==