READING HC skipper Tom Carson failed to make the Great Britain squad for the Rio Olympics and that has made him even more determined to play in the 2020 Games in Tokyo, writes Dave Wright.

So he was more than delighted this week to see his name among the 27 players chosen for the new Olympic cycle.

Carson (pictured) said: “I was fairly confident I would be selected. The reason I play (hockey) is I want to be the best I can, and win things, and you cannot achieve anything bigger than an Olympic gold medal.

“GB women earned their success (in Rio) with hard work, and I know I will have to work just as hard and score goals on a regular basis. There is no reason why I can’t do that.”

The 26-year-old forward is the only Reading player in the squad.

And it is a similar story with the much-changed GB women’s squad revealed on Tuesday.

The only Blues player selected is Susie Gilbert, who also missed out on the trip to Rio and who hasn’t been seen in a Reading shirt so far this season.

Among the new faces are former Reading players Olivia Paige, now with University of Birmingham, and Welsh striker Sarah Jones, who plays for Holcombe.

A current Sonning Lane player new to the international scene is Tim Atkins, who this week has been with Scotland in Barcelona for a three-match series with Russia.

He was born in Oxford but qualifies for Scotland through his mother’s side of the family.

Atkins’ selection followed a conversation Blues keeper Tommy Alexander had when assisting Scotland’s junior teams.

“I hadn’t given it (Scotland) much thought before, but I am pleased to be involved now,” said Atkins.

One of several players based in London, the Blues defender was sent a GPS system so that his fitness sessions could be tracked by Scotland’s coaching staff.

Reading midfielder Julie Whiting, who took six weeks to recover from the concussion she suffered in the game against Slough last November, is currently with Wales who are playing in the World League Round Two in Kuala Lumpur.

However, she wasn’t involved in any of their three opening games which saw Wales record two wins and a defeat.