Professor Dawn Knight helps Wales Over-40s women’s hockey team reach historic European silver

Professor Dawn Knight, a leading figure in applied linguistics known for research with real-world impact, has added another achievement to her name - this time in international sport.

Representing the Wales over-40s women’s masters hockey team, Professor Knight helped secure a remarkable second-place finish at the European Cup, narrowly missing out on gold after a hard-fought 1–0 defeat in the final against England.

The achievement marks the highest ever finish for the Wales women’s over-40s hockey team.

Professor Knight said: “What an incredible experience winning silver at the Masters European Hockey Championship! Celebrating this achievement with such talented and inspirational women is something I’ll always treasure.”

Over the tournament’s seven games, which were played in Valencia in sweltering heat averaging over 35 degrees, Professor Knight scored four goals, including a memorable hat trick in Wales’s 4–0 victory over Germany.

In addition to her academic career and her regular appearances for the Cardiff & Met women’s performance squad, Professor Knight’s dedication reflects the rapid rise of masters hockey in Wales. Affiliated with Hockey Wales, the masters community now includes seven women’s and ten men’s squads, inspiring younger generations to stay active in the sport.

England currently counts around 2,000 registered masters players, and Wales’s growing ranks (now numbering roughly 340) highlight how participation and passion for hockey are thriving across all age groups.