The 27-year-old from Southampton (pictured above, second right), who left the field in obvious agony after a second-half collision with a defender during Britain's 2-0 win over world champions Argentina in the test final, told insidethegames: "It was a horrible moment.

"Straight away on the field, I had that initial feeling of 'Not now, this is the worst possible timing.'

"I had that panic.

"But because I'd hurt my shoulder before I had the feeling very quickly after the game that it was not as bad as I had done previously.

"And I knew that the support I had here on site with the English Institute of Sport and our physio, Emma Batchelor is just incredible.

"So I felt very confident I would receive the best treatment, I felt I could be here every single day, receiving treatment three times a day, and I would be fine.

"Being injured, half of it is the psychological battle – feeling you are not on the field or you are not preparing.

"But you are – just in a different way."

Danson's teammate Crista Cullen (pictured below), who scored both goals in the test final, had to leave the field a few minutes before her with an ankle injury.


Cullen, too, had a moment of panic on the Olympic Park pitch – although she, like Danson, is fit and ready to take part in the London 2012 Games, starting with the opening game against Japan on July 29.

"At the initial stage, when you feel the pain, you obviously have that little bit of a heart flutter," she said.

"You think 'I've done the four-year cycle, and we are so close to the Games.'

"Those kinds of thoughts went through my mind.

"But those thoughts were in and out pretty quick – I am a fairly positive type of person and I had managed worse injuries before."

She, like Danson, is fully fit and back in training again.

"I'm very confident with it," said Cullen, who competed at the Beijing 2008 Games with a fractured wrist thanks to a series of injections, and required a wrist reconstruction operation afterwards which kept her out of the sport for nine months.

"I've been running hopping, jumping, I have no inhibition on my foot at all."


Both forwards were rested from Britain's most recent competition – the Investec London Cup, where they finished fifth.

"I was desperate to play," Danson said.

"I love playing, we have the best job in the world.

"It's so great playing at home and it was a brilliant tournament so I was obviously devastated not to be able to play, although I understand why.

"But there's another one coming up."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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