Canterbury hockey housemates Mel Clewlow and Jen Wilson will share a minor milestone on Tuesday when they launch their respective campaigns at the Beijing Olympics.

Both players have featured in a Games before but this is the first time they will have appeared at the same Olympics.

Wilson had yet to start her international career when Clewlow helped Great Britain to eighth at Sydney in 2000, and GB were absent at Athens four years later as South Africa clinched ninth.

With a combined total of 248 appearances for England and GB, Clewlow is the most capped Home Nations player of all time - male of female - but says she still gets excited when she thinks about going to the Olympics.

The 32-year-old defender, who made her England debut in 1996, explained: "I keep reading that I'm the oldest member of the squad but us 'old heads' get just as excited as the younger ones.

"I believe that on our day that we can beat any team in the world but the question is can we do it seven times in 12 days.

"The conditions will be extreme and the team that wins will be the one that deals with the conditions best."

Wilson, 29, made her international debut in 2001 and is one of the most experienced players in the South African line-up.

She admits she is also relishing the prospect of playing in Beijing and hopes South Africa can improve on their showing four years ago.

She added: "Our first three games, against Holland, China and Australia, are going to be tough. Because we are the lowest ranked team, we've got to go in with realistic expectations.

"We have our sights set but our team targets are not necessary position orientated. There are things we have been working on and we ant to see that we have improved."

Britain start their campain on Tuesday against Germany.

Their group also includes Argentina, New Zealand, Japan, and the USA while South African are in with China, Australia, Spain, Korea and Holland, against whom they start on Tuesday.

A third Canterbury Hockey Club member Sean Kerly will also be in Beijing as part of the BBC TV commentary team.