Sharkey scores treble in front of Prince Harry (From Bucks Free Press)

Wycombe girl sets up Games quarter-final

1:15pm Tuesday 4th September 2012 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

ANNA Sharkey scored a hat-trick in front of Prince Harry to book her place in the quarter-finals of the Paralympic goalball competition this morning.

The Wycombe star helped Great Britain to a 5-0 victory over Denmark to set up a last-eight meeting with either USA, Japan or Sweden tomorrow.

Sharkey, whose brother Michael plays for the men’s goalball team, said: “If you look at the other group, Japan are playing well; Sweden and the US are playing well.

“We’ve beaten Japan 3-0, beaten Sweden a couple of times this year.

“The USA are a powerful team but if we’re playing with our best defence we’ll give them the best game we can.

“It’s important for us not to feel dominated by the fact it’s a quarter-final. We need to just treat it like any other game.”

Sharkey scored her first at the Copper Box with a cross-court shot five minutes into the match, just as prince Harry, dressed in a Paralympics GB tracksuit, took his seat.

Her second came with a delivery down the middle that went over the top of the prone defender, and an outstretched Danish foot was not enough to stop Sharkey completing her treble.

She said: “Yes, it’s a privilege to have Prince Harry here but for anyone to come and watch us play is a great honour,” said the 24 year old.

“My husband [Frankie] hasn’t been able to make it to every match but he was here this morning so that was my best person in the crowd.”

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