On Sunday, in the Australian city of Perth, the Chinese women's hockey team wrapped up a rigorous seven-week training program from mid-March to late April. This period was marked by their unwavering dedication and relentless efforts to hone their skills and showcase their prowess on the field, all in preparation for the 2024 Olympics.
The program's high point was China's 26-player women's hockey team's 2024 participation in the Perth International Festival of Hockey, where they competed in a double round-robin format against the host and Japanese teams.
Under the guidance of Alyson Annan, a two-time Olympic gold winner from Australia, the Chinese women's hockey team made significant strides. They climbed an impressive eight spots in the global rankings, moving up from fourteenth, just before the Perth matches, instilling a sense of optimism and hope for their future performance.
Australia's national hockey team, the Hockeyroos, has maintained its great heritage without missing a beat in the last two years, helping them to become three-time Olympic winners. Thus, they are the favorites among hockey betting picks.
A 2-0 victory against Chile in a January Olympic qualifying match propelled Japan into the top 10. As they both competed in the same pool at the Paris Olympics, China and Japan were destined to meet early in the group round in their quest to advance to the quarterfinals.
The opening match between China and Australia at the Perth International Festival of Hockey occurred on April 21 and concluded in a 2-2 tie. Two goals from Zou Meirong and one from Chen Yang put China up 2-0 at halftime, but Australia scored twice in the second to tie the game.