In no time at all, Hugo Inglis has gone from wide-eyed teenager to established Black Stick. He will soon be able to add Olympian to his list of achievements. The Southern striker talks to sports editor Hayden Meikle.
But, in many ways, Hugo Inglis has become a veteran.
He has crammed 72 international caps into his young career, having only just reached the traditional age of adulthood.
At this rate, assuming form and motivation do not desert him, he could play 400 games for his country.
There is, too, a sense of wisdom and calmness behind that flinty gaze, suggesting that the Southern man has picked up plenty of knowledge in his whirl-wind beginning to international hockey.
Inglis agrees, but rather modestly points out the structure of his sport means players can quickly rack up appearances.
"That's the nature of international hockey. You play 30 games a year," he told the Otago Daily Times.
"I guess you get to a point where you know most of the top teams pretty well, and you can call on your experiences."
Experience was all Inglis was lacking when, barely out of Otago Boys' High School, he was a shock selection in the Black Sticks for the world cup qualifying tournament in Invercargill.
He had - has - all the skills, work ethic, intelligence and speed required to play up front in hockey.
Still, there are no sure things in sport. Inglis knew it would be foolish to assume he was guaranteed a ticket to London before the squad was confirmed last week.
"I'm pretty overjoyed to be going, but there's definitely a lot of relief, too.
"Once you get over that, you start to appreciate how big it's going to be to actually be at the Olympics.
"I've tried not to get too far ahead of myself. But, obviously, you have hopes and dreams.
"Around the time I made my debut, I thought, wow, in three years' time there's going to be the Olympics, and you never know."
Inglis will have his two leading supporters, parents Malcolm and Caroline, in the stands in London.
The Black Sticks are playing in Australia this week, then will be home for a brief spell before heading to Belgium for final Olympic preparations.
Inglis, who has been fitting in extramural studies at Massey University around training, said the squad was excited to be on the countdown to London.
The Black Sticks go in with a world ranking of seventh, and are seeded behind the Germans, the Dutch and the Koreans in pool B.
Only the top two teams after the round robin make the medal round, with the others left to play classification games.
"We wouldn't be going if we didn't think we were capable of winning a medal," Inglis said.
"Holland and Germany are in our pool, so obviously it's not going to be easy. But we think we're good enough.
"Get through the pool stage, and you might strike Australia, Great Britain or Spain.
"It's the Olympics. There are no easy games and you can't hide."
Inglis feels comfortable, but not complacent, in his role in the Black Sticks' front five. Though, there is a hint of frustration in his voice when he says he has not scored an overwhelming number of international goals.
The New Zealand squad is loaded with experience, with striker Phil Burrows, midfielder Ryan Archibald and defender Dean Couzins all having played for their country 250-plus times.
Defender Blair Hopping is on 249 caps, and another seven players have more than 100.
"Half our starting XI have been to a couple of Olympics already. So I think taking that level of experience to London will be pretty huge for us," Inglis said.
He was in Delhi for the Commonwealth Games two years ago, and found being part of a wider New Zealand team a special experience.
His senior team-mates had advised the Olympics were on another scale.
Inglis has played in London before, but not at the Riverbank Arena, the 15,000-capacity Olympic venue featuring blue turf.
Selection day was bittersweet for Inglis, whose own excitement was tempered by the disappointment of seeing close friend and fellow Otago Boys' old boy Blair Tarrant miss the cut.
"It's really tough to see a mate miss out on Olympic selection.
"We've been through so much together.
"I know it's been tough on Blair. But he's an awesome player and he'll be back."
Hugo Inglis
The facts
Age: 21
Position: Striker
Test debut: v Wales, Nov 2009
Caps: 78
Olympic draw
Men's hockey in London (with world rankings).
Pool A: Australia (1), Great Britain (4), Spain (5), Pakistan (8), Argentina (9), South Africa (12).
Pool B: Germany (2), Netherlands (3), Korea (6), New Zealand (7), India (10), Belgium (11).
