Nora Struchtrup of Victoria is one of five Vancouver Island field hockey players scheduled to represent Canada on the world stage next month.
“Like no one on our team, we’ve never been to a tournament of this magnitude,” said the 19-year-old.
The Canadian National Junior Women’s Field Hockey Team was scheduled to compete in South Africa for the Junior World Cup. But the tournament, which was due to start next week, was abruptly called off due to a national health emergency.
“I woke up [Thursday] and my teammates told me about this great new breakfast variation they found in South Africa, ”said Struchtup via Zoom from Potchefstroom, South Africa. “Literally less than 12 hours later, we learned right after practice that our tournament was canceled and that we had to try to get back to Canada as soon as possible.
Several countries have issued travel bans and restrictions due to the new COVID-19 variant Omicron, first reported in South Africa on Wednesday.
“Flights are very, very hard to find right now,” said Team Canada manager Nancy Mollenhauer.
So, for now, the team is trying to stay positive in a weird state of limbo.
“We don’t have the chance to come home and we are training for a tournament that will not take place,” said Struchtrup.
While no cases have yet been reported in Canada, federal officials are taking travel precautions.
Government officials have reached out to the team to provide support, but have not yet given a timeline for the team’s return home.
“Minister St-Onge spoke directly with the hockey team today and our government will remain in close contact with the team if they ask for help,” said Christelle Chartrand, spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada.
“Canada is making the health and safety of all Canadians a priority by continuing to take a risk-based and measured approach to reopening the border. As part of our efforts to protect Canadians from COVID-19 and its variants, the Government of Canada’s emergency border measures have been effective in reducing the importation and transmission of COVID-19 in Canada.
The team, meanwhile, remains patient and optimistic.
“We will keep our fingers crossed so that it is as soon as possible,” Mollenhauer said.
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