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NEW DELHI, Sept 15: Newly crowned Olympic champions Australia have displaced Germany as the top men's field hockey team in the latest world rankings released by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Wednesday.
Australia, coached by Barry Dancer, won their first ever Olympic title at Athens last month defeating the Netherlands 2-1 in the final. World Cup-holders Germany, who finished third at Athens, were relegated to second place in the rankings, while the Dutch were third ahead of Pakistan and India.
Argentina retained their status as the top women's team despite their third-place Olympic finish behind first-time gold-medallists Germany and the Netherlands. The Dutch women were ranked second, Australia third and China fourth. Germany's Athens triumph helped them move from seventh place to fifth.
MEN'S RANKINGS:
1. Australia 2. Germany 3. Netherlands 4. Pakistan 5. India 6. South Korea 7. Spain 8. England 9. New Zealand 10. Argentina 11. Malaysia 12. South Africa 13. Egypt 14. Belgium 15. Japan.
WOMEN'S RANKINGS:
1. Argentina 2. Netherlands 3. Australia 4. China 5. Germany 6. South Korea 7. New Zealand 8. England 9. Spain 10. Japan 11. United States and South Africa. 13. Ireland and Ukraine. 15. India. -AFP
