Hockey: Women aim for top-two finish

LONDON - The New Zealand women's hockey team are hoping for a top-two placing in the Olympics qualifying tournament at Milton Keynes, north of London, starting this weekend.

The 10-team, nine-day tournament will decide which five sides join Argentina, Australia, Korea, Netherlands and South Africa in the Sydney Games in September.

New Zealand have been pooled with Japan, China, Russia and Britain.

Germany, India, Ireland, Spain and the United States complete the other pool.

Captain Anna Lawrence said New Zealand were not competing at Milton Keynes just to make up the numbers in Sydney.

"Ideally we want a top-two finish. If we don't make the final we would be satisfied with third but we don't want to be in a position where we are fighting out that fifth spot."

New Zealand are officially ranked sixth in the world but unofficially fifth taking into account their results over the last 12 months.

They could become a medal contender for Sydney if they can step up a level at Milton Keynes.

"We are more organised on the field defensively. We have improved since finishing sixth in the world championships two years ago," Lawrence said.

New Zealand lost a warm-up game 5-3 against the Netherlands, the world's second-best team, in Amsterdam earlier this week.

New Zealand's first game is against Japan at 6.05am on Saturday (NZT). They beat Japan 4-0 in a recent test series in New Zealand and Lawrence said they would be looking for a convincing result against the aggressive Japanese.

New Zealand will be looking to the experienced Mandy Smith, Tina Bell-Kake and Lawrence for penetration on attack. The forward trio have 344 test appearances between them.

They also took part in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and are out to make amends for failing to qualify for the Atlanta Olympics.

If they play to their best, New Zealand are expected to be among the top four sides with Britain, Spain and Germany.

Should they succeed, they will lift the gloom from New Zealand hockey following the men's failure to make it to Sydney from their qualifying tournament in Osaka.

- NZPA