Bowden was 22 when she joined up with the Great Britain Ladies squad for the Sydney Olympics.
And the former Jack Hunt schoolgirl and Peterborough Town midfielder enjoyed every minute of the experience even though Britain failed to qualify from th
eir group after winning just one of four matches.
Bowden said: "It really hit home what we'd achieved during the opening ceremony. The opening and closing ceremonies are massive events whether it's your first time or you're Steve Redgrave.
"The lighting of the flame had to be the defining moment. It was an amazing feeling and the whole place erupted when Cathy Freeman emerged with the torch."
Other highlights for Bowden included meeting boxer Audley Harrison and athlete Denise Lewis and having her photo taken with legendary Aussie swimmer Ian Thorpe.
Bowden went on to captain her country, but retired from international hockey at a relatively young age to concentrate on her career in the legal sector.
Meet more Olympians: Chief Sports Writer Alan Swann has traced sportsmen and sportswomen who attended the Olympics while living in the Peterborough area.
The full article contains 189 words and appears in Peterborough ET newspaper.
