Huge honour for Unsworth as she will hand over Games flag in home town

In her hometown, Laura Unsworth - the nation’s most decorated hockey player - has been rewarded with an incredible honour at Monday evening's closing ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

She will pass the Commonwealth Games Federation flag to Australia ahead of the Victoria 2026 games. This will be the first time ever for an athlete to have this honour.

No current player has more caps for England and Great Britain women than Laura; the Sutton Coldfield athlete has recently passed the 300 mark.

The East Grinstead player said: “It’s an absolute honour to hand it over in my home city of Birmingham to Victoria. I was speechless when I was asked. Birmingham has put on a fantastic Games and for me the highlight has got to be winning that gold medal on my fourth time trying, it’s been an absolute whirlwind and the best 24 hours of my life.

"The city has been alive and the crowds at every single game have been incredible and they have been our twelfth man at times.”

England won a first ever Commonwealth Games gold after a superb 2-0 victory against Australia on Sunday afternoon.

With one gold and two bronze Olympic medals, Laura became the most decorated hockey player in British history. In 2016 she was awarded an MBE for services to hockey.

Laura’s key medals:

Olympic gold Rio 2016

Olympic bronze London 2012, Tokyo 2020

World Cup bronze medal 2010

European gold 2015

European silver 2013

European bronze 2019, 2017, 2011

Commonwealth Games gold 2022

Commonwealth Games silver 2014

Commonwealth Games bronze 2018, 2010

Champions Trophy silver 2012

Champions Trophy bronze 2010

World League bronze 2013