What to know about field hockey at the 2024 Paris Olympics
The men’s and women’s Dutch teams’ chance to make history may be the biggest field hockey storyline of the Paris Games. If the Netherlands wins both tournaments, this would be the first time in history that a country has swept field hockey gold at the same Olympic Games.
On the men’s side, Belgium won its first field hockey gold medal in Tokyo, but the Netherlands have emerged as the new favorites. Tokyo silver medalists Australia are right behind them, with Argentina, India and Great Britain all playing well in the FIH Pro League and expected to contend for medals in Paris.
On the women’s side, the Dutch are the defending Olympic champions, remain in strong form, and are the heavy favorites to win gold this summer. Argentina, Germany and China – the team coached by Alyson Annan, who led the Dutch women to gold in Tokyo – are expected to be in the medal conversation as well.
The U.S. women will make a return to the Olympics for the first time since Rio after finishing second at the FIH Qualifier tournament in India. The team pulled off upsets over India and Japan to reach Paris. The U.S. women only have won one medal in Olympic history, a bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Games.