KARACHI, 3 June 2004 — Pakistan’s field hockey team leaves for Europe today to take part in a series of warm up events as part of its quest for gold at the Athens Olympics.
First up will be a June 5-11 tournament in Cannock, in England’s Midlands, also featuring Australia.
Pakistan’s Dutch coach, Roelant Oltmans, told AFP his team would then leave for Germany for a four-nation event from June 18-20 in Hamburg, where they will face the hosts, South Korea and Argentina.
Pakistan, whose last gold medal came in the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984, then square off with the Netherlands, arch rivals India and Germany in another four-way contest at Amsterdam from June 25 to July 4.
“Our European tour will provide us a good assessment ahead of the Athens Olympics where we are pitted in the pool of death,” Oltmans said.
The three times Olympic champions Pakistan have been placed in Pool A alongside world champions Germany, Asian champions South Korea, Great Britain, Spain and Egypt.
Defending champions the Netherlands, Australia, India, Argentina, New Zealand and South Africa form Pool B.
Shortly before the start of Athens Olympics in August, the Pakistani team will also visit Spain for a three-nation tournament in Alcala, where they will play the hosts and Argentina from July 27 to Aug. 4.
