IF she wasn't sharpening up for a third Olympics, Hockeyroos star Nikki Hudson would be a Gladiator.
The athletic striker is a huge fan of the rejuvenated television show and has revealed that she would have loved the opportunity to join her Sydney Olympics teammate Tatiana Grigorieva -- who plays Olympia -- on the show.

"Yes, definitely. Not only to be a competitor but to be up close to (host) Tom Williams,'' Hudson joked. "I couldn't believe that after all these years they bring it back in an Olympic year."

"I used to watch it all the time. It would have been great.''

Hudson will spearhead the Australian women's hockey team in its last tournament before the games, the Champions Trophy, to be played in Germany from May 17-25.

Providing she experiences no further grief from a minor hamstring strain in Germany, the 31-year-old is on track to become the first Hockeyroo to notch 300 Tests at Beijing in August.

With 92 international goals to her credit she may also have a century on the board by the end of the year.
Any suggestion she is the greatest Hockeyroo of all time is dismissed politely.

"I don't know if I can accept that,'' said Hudson, Australia's most capped player with 286 games."

"There's been so many exceptional players over the years. The likes of Alyson Annan, who I think retired too early, comes to mind. She was a freak."

"Then there's someone who was so consistent over such a long period, Rechelle Hawkes."

"Just to be mentioned in the same breath as them is special. I've been extremely lucky to play with some of the greats.''

The Hockeyroos have based themselves in Perth to prepare for the games.

Story by: Damien Stannard

Sunday Mail (QLD), Edition 2 - State - Main Country
SUN 04 MAY 2008, Page 102