Field hockey at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament facts for kids
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country | United Kingdom |
| City | London |
| Dates | 30 July – 11 August |
| Teams | 12 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions |  Germany (4th title) |
| Runners-up |  Netherlands |
| Third place |  Australia |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 38 |
| Goals scored | 185 (4.87 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Mink van der Weerden (8 goals) |
The men's field hockey tournament at the 2012 Summer Olympics was a big event for men's teams. It was the 22nd time field hockey was played at the Summer Olympics. The games took place in London, United Kingdom, from July 30 to August 11, 2012. All the matches were held at the Riverbank Arena in the Olympic Park.
Germany, who were the champions from the last Olympics, won the gold medal again! They beat the Netherlands 2–1 in a thrilling final match. Australia won the bronze medal by defeating Great Britain 3–1.
Contents
Teams Competing
Twelve national teams competed in the men's field hockey tournament at the 2012 London Olympics. These teams came from all over the world to compete for the gold medal.
Great Britain (Host)
Pakistan
Germany- Netherlands
Belgium- Australia
New Zealand
Argentina
India
South Korea
South Africa
Spain
Group Stage Matches
The twelve teams were divided into two groups, called Pool A and Pool B. Each team played against every other team in their group. Teams earned points for winning or drawing matches. The top two teams from each group then moved on to the semi-finals.
Pool A Highlights
In Pool A, Australia played very well and finished at the top of their group. They won three games and drew two, earning 11 points. Great Britain, the host nation, also did great, finishing second with 9 points. They won two games and drew three. These two teams moved forward to the medal round.
Pool B Highlights
In Pool B, the Netherlands were super strong, winning all five of their matches! They finished first in their group with a perfect 15 points. Germany came in second in Pool B with 10 points, winning three games. Both the Netherlands and Germany advanced to the next stage of the competition.
Medal Round Games
After the group stage, the best teams competed in the medal round. This included the semi-finals, the bronze medal match, and the gold medal final.
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||||
| 9 August | |||||||
| Australia |
2 | ||||||
| Germany |
4 | ||||||
| 11 August | |||||||
| Germany |
2 | ||||||
| Netherlands |
1 | ||||||
| Third place | |||||||
| 9 August | 11 August | ||||||
| Netherlands |
9 | Australia |
3 | ||||
| Great Britain |
2
|
Great Britain |
1 | ||||
Semi-Finals
The semi-finals were played on August 9. In the first semi-final, Germany faced Australia. Germany won this exciting match with a score of 4–2, securing their spot in the final. In the second semi-final, the Netherlands played against Great Britain. The Netherlands showed their strength, winning 9–2 and also moving on to the gold medal match.
Bronze Medal Match
The bronze medal match was held on August 11. Australia played against Great Britain. Australia won the game 3–1, earning the bronze medal.
Gold Medal Final
The highly anticipated gold medal final was also on August 11. It was a rematch between Germany and the Netherlands. Germany won the gold medal by defeating the Netherlands 2–1 in a very close and exciting game.
Final Team Rankings
Here are the final standings for all the teams that competed in the tournament:
| Rank | Team |
|---|---|
 |
Germany |
 |
Netherlands |
 |
Australia |
| 4 | Great Britain |
| 5 | Spain |
| 6 | Belgium |
| 7 | Pakistan |
| 8 | South Korea |
| 9 | New Zealand |
| 10 | Argentina |
| 11 | South Africa |
| 12 | India |
Images for kids
-
Australia national field hockey team line up for their game against Spain.
See also
In Spanish: Anexo:Torneo masculino de hockey sobre hierba en los Juegos Olímpicos de Londres 2012 para niños
