British girls pitch in as hockey gets a revamp for Olympics

BRITAIN’S women’s hockey team trained on the new blue and pink Olympic pitch yesterday and insisted it is not just a gimmick.

London 2012 will be the first international competition to use the state-of-the-art blue pitch, complete with pink surrounds and a yellow ball.

The new shades aim to make following the ball easier for spectators.

Britain’s captain Kate Walsh, 31, said: “It updates the sport. Maybe with the green, people can think of the old jolly hockey sticks thing but this just makes it new and modern.

“On camera, you can see the ball better. Hopefully with the balmy summer that we will have for the Olympics, it will definitely help with the glare.”