Hockey: Pre-Olympic coup for women

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Hockey on a scale not seen for many years is coming to New Zealand after confirmation yesterday that the women's qualifying event for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games will be played here in March 2004.

The competition will bring together 10 of the world's best teams chasing the last four or five spots in the 10-team Olympic tournament.

In 1991, 12 men's and 12 women's teams played at Auckland's Lloyd Elsmore Park, where New Zealand qualified for both tournaments at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

The women beat South Korea to win their tournament. The men finished third.

The five continental winners will qualify automatically for the Olympics. They may be joined by Greece as hosts, but that will not be confirmed until after the Greeks play a European qualifying tournament.

If Greece do not win a place, five teams will qualify from the New Zealand-hosted tournament.

The North Harbour, Auckland and Wellington associations have applied to host the tournament.

The decision on the venue will be made this week.

New Zealand Hockey Federation chief executive Ramesh Patel said hosting the tournament - ahead of Spain - was important for the future of the game here.

"If we can show we are capable of hosting such a significant tournament, we can then go on and apply for a World Cup or Champions Trophy," said Patel. "We owe it to our sport to bring hockey of this standard to New Zealand."

New Zealand could still miss out on hosting the event.

They play Australia next year - in New Zealand. The winner will take the Olympic berth as Oceania champions, therefore skipping the qualifying event. However a New Zealand win is unlikely against the Olympic champions.

"That would be great if we could do that," said Patel. "But if we don't we have still given our women's team the best possible opportunity."

New Zealand are ranked fifth in the world but that could change after November's World Cup in Perth.

The men are ranked ninth and are still regarded as a top chance of reaching the 12-team Olympic tournament.