INTERNATIONAL hockey player and local man Chris Cargo has been inducted into Ards and North Down Council’s Sporting Wall of Fame.
The 39 year-old, who currently plays for English club Hampstead and Westminster, scored 28 goals for the Irish national team between 2009 His 195 international appearances place Cargo eighth on Ireland’s all-time cap list.
Cargo has joined the borough’s other sporting greats on the prestigious Wall of Fame which is displayed in Bangor Aurora as well as at the Ards Blair Mayne Wellbeing and Leisure Complex.
After starting his club career for his native Bangor, Cargo came to international attention with a fine performance in the 2009 interprovincial tournament as a last-minute call-up for Ulster.
He impressed enough to make his Irish debut just three months later and never looked back, becoming a central member of the squad in 2010.
Cargo was part of the first Irish Hockey team in 108 years to qualify for and then play at an Olympic Games, in Rio in 2016.
His international highlights also include captaining the side twice, playing in three European Championships – winning Ireland’s first medal with bronze in 2015 – and at the 2018 World Cup in India, where he scored in a 4-2 defeat against England.
Cargo announced his retirement from international hockey in December 2019 at the age of 33.
