BEIJING, Aug 7: Field hockey great Teun de Nooijer goes into his fourth and final Olympics hoping to win back the gold medal for the Netherlands after a heartbreaking finish four years ago.

The Dutch were denied a third successive title at Athens when Australian striker Jamie Dwyer netted a golden goal in a classy final to hand his team their first Olympic gold medal.

The defeat shattered Dutch fans, already seething over their women’s team loss to Germany in the final, but de Nooijer, 32, says he has taken the setback in his stride and awaited the challenge ahead.

“I think Australia were the better team in 2004 and, frankly, we could not have hoped for more than a silver,” said the brilliant midfielder and three-time world player of the year.

“I think Australia would again be everyone’s favourites and that is not a bad thing for us. As favourites, it can sometimes be a struggle to meet the expectations of people.

“We were supposed to be the team to beat in Sydney in 2000, but struggled through the group matches before winning the final.

“We are now in a similar situation as in 1996 when we won our first gold medal. It was a very open competition but there was no pressure on us.”

De Nooijer, joined for a fourth Olympics by team-mates Guus Vogels and Jeroen Delmee, was confident the Dutch can regain the title in what would be a tough contest between well-matched rivals.

“We are one of the teams that can go far in the tournament,” he said. “But so can Australia, Germany, Spain and Korea. We have to take it one match at a time and see what happens.”

De Nooijer, a constant factor in the Dutch supremacy since his debut in 1994, said he was undecided whether to give up his international career after the Olympics.

“The World Cup is still two years away so I don’t know,” he said. “This is surely my last Olympics but I will take a decision on my future after I return home from Beijing.

“I want to continue playing for my club for a few more years. It is possible to play at the top level when you are over 30, but hockey is a pretty physical sport.

“One really has to be in top condition and it shows if you are not in shape. That is the time to give up. You have to live for the sport. My body still feels good though.”

De Nooijer, who lives in Bloemendaal with his wife Philippa and three daughters, said 14 years at the top level had not diminished his motivation or hunger for the sport.

“When I played the first time, I played to win,” he said. “It is no different now. I still play to win.

“Sometimes when we train in the rain in cold weather, it can get a bit difficult. But once I am on the pitch and I can win something, it is easy. I just go and have fun. It is important to enjoy the game.”

The Netherlands are drawn in a tough preliminary group with Australia, Pakistan, Britain, South Africa and Canada. Two teams will qualify for the semi-finals.

The other group has Germany, Spain, Korea, China, New Zealand and Belgium. The Dutch take on South Africa in their opening match on Monday.—AFP