The Hockey Centre will host all 76 hockey matches during the London 2012 Games and it was also revealed today that a yellow ball will be used for the first ever time at an Olympic Games, creating a striking set of colours with the blue and pink of the playing surface.

Sport and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson was present to watch the Great Britain's women's squad training on the surface, and defended the colour scheme.

"I don't think the blue and pink is a gimmick," he said.

"The clever thing about this surface is that it makes it much easier for spectators to follow, I think it's a sensible way of making the sport accessible to large numbers of people."

Though the surface is in place, the arena will not be completed until April, with a test event scheduled for May 2 until 6.

Robertson said that he thought the venue would look spectacular when it was complete, and backed both the British men and women's teams to compete for medals in 2012.

"Two gold medals will be good," he told insidethegames.

"Australia in the men's are very, very good and you have Argentina [ranked number one in the world] in the women's.

"That is going to be a tall order, both teams are fourth [in the world] so there is no reason they can't win medals."

David Luckes, the London 2012 head of sport competition, said: "We are delighted with how the main pitch at the Hockey Centre looks.

"The blue and pink pitch combined with yellow ball makes not only following the ball easier, it also has a fantastic London 2012 feel."

International Hockey Federation (FIH) President Leandro Negre praised the venue's progress, and said that it was "exciting to see the Hockey Centre now taking shape," adding that he thought the visual experience for spectators would be "fantastic".

As well as staging hockey, the Paralympic Games seven-a-side football will be contested on the blue and pink surface at the Hockey Centre, which will be able to hold 16,000 spectators.

After the Games, the Hockey Centre will be dismantled and parts used elsewhere, including at Eton Manor, where wheelchair tennis will be played during the Paralympic Games.


Having completed the morning's training session on the pitch, British international Anne Pander told insidethegames that the surface suited their game well.

"This is the third time we've been here," she said.

"It's great, coming on knowing it's just  been laid, you don't expect much from a brand new pitch but it is playing really well and getting better each time.

"Visually it looks great and the ball runs true - we play really quick, fast attacking hockey and it helps with that."

The team's coach, Danny Kerry, added that the squad was in good shape to take at least a podium place at London 2012.

"Argentina and Holland will start as favourites for gold, then another three or four teams who could be vying for a finals spot," he told insidethegames.

"We're ranked fourth [in the world] and I think with 16,000 spectators and with the day to day preparation we have we should be challenging well.

"The girls are in a really good place."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
March 2011: Blue is the colour for hockey at London 2012