Australian field hockey aim for gold
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Australia's national men's hockey team is training in London ahead of its bid to win its second Olympic gold medal. The "Kookaburras" are ranked number one in the world. But the squad suffered a pre-Olympic wake-up call with a loss to Germany on Sunday.
The squad is the only Australian team in any sport to win medals in the last five Olympic Games, including a gold medal in Athens in 2004, and the team is getting in some vital European practice, including a test event at the new Olympic hockey venue. Australia reached the final but lost to Germany 5-2. The players are aware that another Olympic title is far from guaranteed.
Australia with the winner's trophy after defeating spain in the men's
Champions Trophy field hockey final in December 2011. Australia will
defend their men's Champions Trophy field hockey crown this year with
Melbourne Tuesday named as host city.
Germany's Philipp Zeller, left, competes with Australia's Liam de Young during
the men's gold medal field hockey match between Germany and Australia at
the Riverbank field hockey arena in the Olympic Park in London, Sunday,
May 6, 2012.
Australia's Swann Matthew (R) challenges Germany's Thilo Stralkowski
during the men's International Invitational Hockey Tournament at the
Riverbank Arena on the Olympic Park in London May 3, 2012.
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