BBC Sport

Great Britain's women cruised past Malaysia 8-1 to reach the semi-finals of the Olympic qualifiers in Valencia.

Hannah French, Tess Howard and Giselle Ansley all scored twice as GB claimed a comfortable victory to finish second in Group B.

That means they face Group A winners Belgium in the semi-finals.

GB either need to reach the final or win the third place play-off to qualify for Paris 2024.

BBC Sport

Great Britain's women opened their Olympic qualifying campaign with a 2-0 win over Canada in Valencia.

Tess Howard scored from the penalty spot - her 12th international goal - and Anna Toman struck from a penalty corner 10 minutes from time.

Britain, who won bronze at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, need a top-three finish to qualify for Paris 2024.

BBC iPlayer

How can I watch the qualifiers?

All Great Britain's matches, men's and women's, will be streamed live on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport website and app.

Matches will also be available to watch on catch up on the BBC iPlayer.

Fixtures

GB Men

Thursday, 18 January

GB v China - 14:30

Saturday, 20 January

Semi-finals - 14:00 and 16:30

Sunday, 21 January

Final - 16:30; third-place play-off - 14:00

GB Women

Thursday, 18 January

Semi-final: GB v Belgium - 14:30

Saturday, 20 January

Final 17:00; third-place play-off 14:30

BBC Sport

Olympic gold medallist Maddie Hinch announced her retirement from the sport last year meaning Sabbie Heesh is GB's preferred goalkeeper and her team-mate Anna Toman said the 32-year-old is one to keep an eye on at the qualifiers.

"Sabbie had extremely big shoes to fill. And it's been a bit of a difficult time for her," Toman told BBC Sport.

"I think she seemed to find her way of doing things and it was just so much pressure on her coming in and filling that spot after Maddie.

"What she's realised is she's not Maddie. But she also found her confidence, she had this aura about her on and off the pitch."

Toman also cited 22-year-old midfielder Sophie Hamilton as a player with "a huge amount of potential".

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport

Great Britain's men's and women's hockey teams have one last chance to qualify for the Paris Olympics this month and you can watch it on the BBC.

The women's team travel to Valencia for their qualifiers where they will face Canada, Malaysia and Spain in Pool B.

Meanwhile, the men's team take on China, Malaysia and Pakistan in Pool A in Oman.

Both teams need to secure a place in the top three of their respective tournaments to qualify for Paris 2024.

How can GB qualify for Olympics?

Five men's and women's teams have already booked their place at the Paris 2024 Olympics, along with hosts France.

The Netherlands, Australia, Argentina and South Africa's men's and women's teams all earned direct qualification, along with India's men and China's women.

That leaves six places remaining and 16 teams, including both Great Britain and Ireland, will look to secure their place at the summer tournament via a final round of qualifying matches beginning on Saturday, 13 January (women) and Monday, 15 January (men).

Image source, Getty Images

BBC Sport

How do I start?

• Play Hockey,, external is a good place to start for those who are new to the game or interested in coming back to it after years away. Simply type in your postcode to locate your nearest club.
• In England,, external and Wales,, externalBack To Hockey is a campaign offering people of all ages either a complete introduction to the game, or a return to hockey if you've had a break from it.
• TheScotland,, externalandNorthern Ireland,, externalhockey associations will also direct you to clubs in your area.

But what is hockey?

• Hockey is in some ways like football. It's an 11 a-side team game, where the aim is to score a goal in the opposing team's net.
• Each player passes a small hard ball around the pitch with a hooked stick.
• A match is 70 minutes, with two halves, and the winner is the team which scores the most goals.

Is it for me?

• There are different variations of the game, so hockey is for everyone, regardless of age, ability or gender. There's also a real social side, with a culture of team bonding off the field.
• It is very common to have two or more generations of a family in one team.
• It's also a very gender-equal sport.
• After Team GB women won Gold in Rio,10,000 people picked up a stick at their local hockey club.

What to expect when I start?

• Hockey clubs are welcoming to beginners and are likely to help out with equipment and advice.
• You don't have to be an expert in fitness, it is accessible for every level of fitness, ability and body shape.
• The sport can be mentally stimulating, will improve your fitness and your hand-eye co-ordination.
• For children, matches can be smaller-sided, played on any surface, and use larger, lighter and safer balls.
• Or you could always look for a club like Bromsgrove that offer walking hockey sessions.
• Flyerz' hockey,, external in England have a range of specific sessions for the visually impaired or blind, those who are deaf or hearing impaired, people in wheelchairs, those with learning disabilities, and people with ADHD, Aspergers or Autism.
• There are also a range of disability options in Wales, external,Scotland,, external and Northern Ireland., external