Hockey fan Kate jumps for joy as British team beat New Zealand to bronze in 3-1 win and take home their first medal in 20 years
By BIANCA LONDON and TONI JONES
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Britain won its first women's Olympic field hockey medal in 20 years today with a 3-1 victory over New Zealand, and the Duchess of Cambridge could not have looked more excited as she cheered Team GB on at the Riverbank Arena.
Kate had dressed for the heat wearing a tennis inspired all white outfit, swapping her skinny jeans and favourite Smythe blazer for a ladylike A-line skirt and sleeveless shirt.
Dame Kelly Holmes joined the Duchess in the crowd, and their group spent most of the match clapping and cheering as the British team played their hearts out on the turf below.
The Duchess of Cambridge attends the Women's Hockey bronze medal match between New Zealand and Great Britain on Day 14 of the London 2012 Olympic Games
Goal! The Duchess of Cambridge was joined at the Riverbank Plaza by Dame Kelly Holmes and both women were delighted with the result. cheering and clapping throughout the game
Kate surprised fashion fans by swapping her skinny jeans for a tennis inspired all white outfit
Kate is shown to her seat at the Riverbank Arena, and shows off her legs in an a-line skirt
All of the games' four goals were from second-half penalty corners and the bronze medal for Team GB matched Britain's only previous female hockey medal, earned at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
New Zealand, who scored their only goal through Stacey Michelsen with two minutes to go, were already assured of their highest Olympic finish after making the semifinals for the first time.
Kate almost can't watch as the British team take a penalty
Kate cheered excitedly throughout the game
The hockey fan hides her face behind her long hair as the tension builds
Victory: Kate is delighted at the result, Britain's best for 20 years
The Duchess appeared relaxed in her sleeveless white Olympics shirt as she talked to her seatmate
The Duchess and group share a joke as they enjoy the afternoon match
In the run up to the Olympics hockey fan Kate made a visit to the Olympic Park in Stratford to meet the team.
She has played hockey since junior school and was captain of the first XI at Marlborough College.
She had a run out with the team in East London, after which captain Kate Walsh said: 'Actually she was really good. She told me that she missed playing as part of a team.
'She also told me that she used to hit the penalty corners and you could see that. She got low and her shots were really sweet.'
Later on Twitter the player expressed her excitement at meeting William's wife, adding: 'Think our team have got royal approval!'
The Duchess of Cambridge's winning streak at the Olympics ended on Wednesday night as she watched Team GB's women hockey players lose in the tense semi-final.
Kate, wearing her favourite Olympic outfit of white Team GB polo shirt underneath a navy blazer, joined thousands of sports fans in the hockey stadium as Great Britain tried to reach the Olympic women's final for the first time.
But despite battling hard, the British team lost 2-1 to Argentina to miss out on a chance to compete for the gold medal.
The Duchess looked on in sympathy and joined crowds in applauding the losing team as they left the field.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2186593/Duchess-Cambridge-Kate-Middleton-jumps-joy-Team-GB-beat-New-Zealand-hockey-bronze.html#ixzz23BNNWlDR
