Anna Flanagan was once the golden girl of the Hockeyroos.
Glamorous and a classy defender when clutching a stick, she seemingly had the sporting world at her feet.
But privately in recent years Flanagan has battled alcohol addiction, and last September she was arrested in Sydney’s north-west for high range drink-driving and resisting arrest.
Next Thursday the 29-year-old, who made her international debut as a teenager and was crowned World Hockey Young Player of the Year in 2013, faces sentencing in Parramatta Local Court for the two serious criminal offences.
Former Hockeyroos star Anna Flanagan (pictured) has revealed her struggles with alcohol
The former Hockeyroos defender is facing criminal charges including high range drink driving and resisting arrest
Anna Flanagan (pictured) made her debut for the national team as a teenager and represented Australia at the 2012 Olympics in London
Incredibly, the top level athlete sponsored by Nike and Red Bull in her prime is thankful for her brush with the law.
‘I was homeless at the time and going downhill pretty fast,’ she told the Daily Telegraph.
‘Getting arrested was my lowest point, and as terrible as getting picked up by police was, it saved my life. I know it did. Prior to that I just wanted to die.’
After battling alcohol demons for years, Flanagan was also arrested in March of 2016 in Perth, three times over the legal limit.
Hockey Australia dropped her from the national squad, ending her quest to play in the Olympics in Brazil later that year.
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She claims the sporting body were aware of her troubles with alcohol, as well as her struggles with an eating disorder, but failed to intervene.
‘I was homeless at the time and going downhill pretty fast,’ she told the Daily Telegraph
Flanagan was then targeted following a subsequent investigation into the sporting body, which was labelled a ‘dysfunctional culture.’
The fallout was swift, with high performance director Toni Cumpston and coach Paul Gaudoin both moving on.
In 2017, Flanagan moved to Sydney and after falling on hard times, found herself homeless, living in her car.
She admitted at one stage wanting to kill herself, but is now four months sober.
One time Hockeyroos star Anna Flanagan (pictured) has described her arrest last year as her ‘lowest point’ – but is thankful police intervened
‘I was close to taking my own life. I went to The Gap (in Sydney’s east),’ she said.
‘It could have happened… it has taken me four years (since then) to commit to my recovery.’
Currently studying to be a social worker, Flanagan believes she has finally found a purpose.
Flanagan will be sentenced on Thursday in Parramatta Court.
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