Eddie Ockenden is congratulated by team mates after scoring a goal in the Men's Bronze Medal Match between Netherlands and Australia at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. © Jed Jacobsohn/ Getty Images

KOOKAS AND HOCKEYROOS TARGET LONDON PODIUM

Since Beijing, the Kookaburras have gone from strength to strength winning gold in the World Cup, Champions Trophy and Commonwealth Games. These major triumps all came in 2010 under the mastery of supercoach Ric Charlesworth. Despite some injuries plaguing the team in 2011, the men should go in to the London Games ranked as one of the top teams and will be hoping for a golden result.

The female Hockeyroos will build on their golden 2010 Commonwealth Games form as they aim for more gold in London 2012. Australia's women last won a medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, but a new-look younger Hockeyroos side is looking to swing back into medal form.

Australia has completed the men's/ women's medal double twice - with the women winning gold and the men taking bronze in 2000 and 1996. Competing on eye-catching blue turf with fluro pink boundaries in London, 2012 could be the first time the Aussies triumph with a golden sweep.

HOCKEY FORMAT

At the Olympic Games there are 12 teams in the men’s and women’s competitions. Teams are split into two pools of six for the preliminary rounds. The top two teams in each pool progress to the semi-finals while the remaining teams play for classification 5-12. Winners of the semi-finals play for the gold medal, and losers of the semi-final play for the bronze.

There are 11 players from each team allowed on a hockey field, including the goalkeeper. Olympic rosters are limited to 16 players but substitutions can be made throughout the two 35-minute periods.

If scores are level at the end of a final or play-off, matches go into extra time. Two, seven-and-a-half minute "sudden death" periods are played, with the first goal ending the match. If a result is still not reached each team selects five players for a penalty stroke shoot-out.

QUALIFICATION

The Australian men’s and women’s hockey teams have both qualified for London 2012 through the Oceania Cup which was held in Hobart from 5 – 9 October 2011.

For all the Nomination and Selection documentation click here>>>

AUSTRALIAN OLYMPIC HISTORY

Australia’s record in Olympic hockey is exceptional. The first Australian men’s team competed in Melbourne 1956 and since then they have finished no lower than sixth. The Kookaburras won bronze medals at Tokyo 1964, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000, silver medals at Mexico City 1968, Montreal 1976 and Barcelona 1992 and finally the gold medal in Athens in 2004. In Beijing 2008, the men came home with bronze.

Following the tracks of the Kookaburras, the Hockeyroos won the Olympic title at Seoul 1988, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000.

To read more about Australia’s Olympic hockey history, click here>>>