Lauren Hemp's journey from 'Olympics' in the garden to World Cup final
19.08.2023 - 21:35
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
On a day of light traffic, it takes five hours and 13 minutes to drive from Lauren Hemp’s hometown North Walsham to Manchester City’s Academy Stadium, her club’s home ground.
The train is a similar journey with a transfer at Norwich before a direct journey to Manchester Picadilly.
Down Under, ‘Hempo’ is an unfathomable distance from home but her influence on the Lionesses’ World Cup campaign is a vigorous force felt by the whole country.
The lifelong Norwich City fan slotted home a monumental goal in Wednesday’s semi-final as she put all allegiances to yellow and green aside against the Matildas, and helped fire the Lionesses to their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup final.
Once again the Sydney Stadium is the stage for the tournament’s highly anticipated battle between Jorge Vilda’s Spain and Sarina Wiegman’s England on Sunday.
Tips from the fastest man in the world Usain Bolt may come Hemp’s aid – the pair met after she netted in Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Chelsea in March after Bolt requested the 23-year-old's shirt.
And Hemp could not be better-suited to such a tussle with a deadly combination of her positive play and blistering pace.
From Hemp Olympics to World Cup finals
From the ‘Hemp Olympics’ in the family garden to the real Summer Games in Tokyo, and now to the World Cup final in Sydney, Lauren Hemp cannot sit still.
After getting a taste for the game through sister Amy, she joined a local team and made use of her pace on larger pitches.
Hemp’s football story begins on the grass of the North Walsham FC where she played for two years in the boys’ team.
She watched her sister go from strength to strength with Norwich City before she tore both ACLs at the age of 16.
After rejection from her