Britain opt for Olympic experience

Hockey

Seven of the Great Britain squad which won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Barcelona have been selected for the Olympic qualifying tournament in Cape Town in November. In a side packed with experience and with an average age of 27, there are few surprises.

The notable omission is Tina Cullen of Hightown, the top scorer in the National League last season. In addition to the expected choice of Jane Sixsmith and Mandy Nicholls, the coach, Sue Slocombe, has gone for the Scotland strikers, Sue MacDonald and Rhona Simpson, and Slough's Anna Bennett to provide her strike force.

With Kath Johnson not returning to international hockey after the birth of her first child, the biggest question mark will rest on a possible lack of speed in defence.

GREAT BRITAIN SQUAD (Women's Olympic qualifying tournament, Cape Town, November): J Atkins (Bradford Swithenbank, capt), H Rose, M Davies, J Sixsmith (all Sutton Canada Life), J Thompson (Ipswich), A Bennett, M Nicholls, K Brown (all Slough), C Cook (Hightown), L Cope (Balsam Leicester), T Miller (Clifton), S Fraser, P Robertson (both Grove), S MacDonald (Glasgow Western KP), D Renilson, R Simpson (both Edinburgh).