medal ChanCe: 3 medal ChanCe: 3
player to WatCh: Santi Freixa player to WatCh: Zhao Yu Diao
Nicknamed ‘Gugu’, the skilful attacker from Diao was recently named Most Promising
just outside Barcelona will lead Spain’s Player at the Champions Trophy in
attack. Mönchengladbach, a tournament where she
was the youngest player at only 19.
WOMEN GERMANY
World Ranking: 3 Tournament Ranking: 3
ARGENTINA • Germany are one of the strongest sides in
World ranking: 2 tournament ranking: 2 women’s hockey and are expected to do
• Medallists at each of the last two well.
Olympics. medal ChanCe: 5
• Won the Champions Trophy in Germany player to WatCh: Maike Stöckel
and took Bronze at the 2006 World Cup. After shining in 2007 at the Champions
• Have a wide spread of talent in all areas Trophy and European Championships
of the field. (where she finished top scorer), Stöckel was
medal ChanCe: 4 crowned FIH Young Player of the Year.
player to WatCh: Luciana Aymar
With over 230 caps, the four-times World GREAT BRITAIN
Player of the Year (a record) is the heartbeat World ranking: 9 tournament ranking: 9
of the Argentinean side and an orchestrator • After a disappointing campaign in Sydney
of their finest attacking moves. and failure to qualify for Athens, Great
Britain will be looking to turn the clock
AUSTRALIA back to the glory days of the early 1990s.
World ranking: 4 tournament ranking: 4 medal ChanCe: 1
• In 2008, the Hockeyroos are aiming to player to WatCh: Alex Danson
win their fourth gold medal and reclaim The Slough forward has had an injury hit
their place on the world hockey stage, career, but when fit, the former BBC Young
however their 2008 preparation has been Sports Personality nominee can be relied
indifferent. upon to lead the Great Britain attack with
TEAM
• If a few areas of their game can be skill and verve.
addressed there is no reason why they
can’t reclaim their place on the medal JAPAN
podium after finishing fifth in Athens.. World ranking: 5 tournament ranking: 5
medal ChanCe: 3 Japan are in good form based on their recent
player to WatCh: Madonna Blyth Champions Trophy performance where they
One of the youngest members of the defeated the highly fancied Netherlands

squad, the 23-year-old has already won team while also drawing with China.
Commonwealth Gold and a Silver Medal at For years they have performed well
BY
the 2006 World Cup. She was also named in against the lower ranked sides but lacked
the World Hockey All Star Squad in 2007. confidence against the world’s top teams.
medal ChanCe: 1

CHINA player to WatCh: Akemi Kato
World ranking: 6 tournament ranking: 6 At 37 this is likely to be Kato’s last chance to
TEAM
• The Chinese have recently superseded the shine on the international scene, and she’ll
Koreans as the strongest women’s side in be hoping to bow out by leading Japan to
Asia. their best ever finish.
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