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Netherlands secure Olympic hockey double with women's gold / Photo: © AFP
Netherlands secure Olympic hockey double with women's gold
The Netherlands completed a remarkable double in Olympic hockey on Friday when their women's team, the defending champions, beat China 3-1 in a shootout to take gold just 24 hours after the men's side had triumphed over Germany.
The Dutch women, who were appearing in their sixth successive final, were made to work hard for their fifth Olympic gold medal after the Chinese held them to a 1-1 draw in regulation time.
Chen Yi put the Chinese ahead after just seven minutes and in spite of intense Dutch pressure throughout they appeared to be heading for the first Olympic gold.
Nine minutes form time, however, ace penalty corner shooter Yibbi Jansen rifled in her ninth goal of the tournament to level the scores.
Dutch goalie Anne Veenendaal saved the first two Chinese efforts in the shoot-out and when she kept out Ma Ning's effort as well the celebrations began for the army of Dutch supporters at the Yves du Manoir Stadium in Colombes.
It is the first time ever that a nation has doubled up at the Olympic hockey - the men's team also needing a shootout to get past Germany.
Earlier on Friday, Argentina claimed their third Olympics bronze medal, their sixth medal in women's hockey, also with a 3-1 shootout win over Belgium after their third-place play-off ended in a 2-2 draw.
L. Andersson--BTZ
