OLYMPIC HISTORY

©Markus Boesch/Allsport

Modern field hockey evolved in Britain in the late 1800s but was not introduced to the Games until 1908 and only took a permanent place in Antwerp in 1928. Amazingly, it took until Moscow in 1980 to introduce the women's game.

The men's game was dominated by an incredible run of victories by India over three decades; between 1928 and 1956 all six gold medals in 30 consecutive games were won by Indians, one of the most remarkable Olympic statistics. As interesting to the statistically minded is the fact that Balbir Singh, who scored five of the six goals that took India to a 6-1 victory over The Netherlands in Helsinki, 1952, was just the first of four India players of the same name who played on winning teams.

The first Balbir Singh, however, was the best; he was renowned for confusing goalkeepers with his turn of speed and body-swerve and was a member of three successive winning teams, 1948, 1952 and 1956, by which time he had been made captain. The Indians have won two further titles since 1956 and no nation has won a consecutive victory since India in Melbourne.

The women's game has been dominated by Australia in recent times, including the 1988 and 1996 titles. South Korea, runners-up in 1996, The Netherlands and Germany are among those who could be a threat to the home team in Sydney. Australia is also favourite to take the men's title, ahead of The Netherlands, the defending champions.

Britain has a decent record in hockey, winning the Olympic title for men in 1908, 1920 and latterly in 1988, while the national women's team won a bronze in 1992 and just missed a medal to finish fourth in 1996.