Burnaby’s Gabriel Ho-Garcia scored his first goal of the World League tournament to lead Canada’s national men’s field hockey team into the Round 3 of the Olympic Games qualifier.
Ho-Garcia tallied Canada’s second goal of the game off a penalty corner in the 17th minute in a 4-1 win over Russia in Chula Vista, California on March 8.
The win gave the Canadians third place overall in World League Round 2, earning the Maple Leaf a spot in Round 3 in June, where the top three teams, in each of two separate World League 3 events, can qualify for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ireland and Austria also qualified for the third round, while Malaysia, Poland and Japan qualified through a separate round. A further three teams will also advance from a third round being held in South Africa.
The top 11 teams in the world at the time of Round 3 will also take part in the two 10-team qualifying tournaments.
Canada, including New West’s Brenden Bissett, could also earn a spot in Rio by winning gold at the Pan American Games in Toronto this summer.
