Finishing fifth in the Olympics would not be considered a disappointment if you were to ask most Canberrans, but for one - Katrina Powell - it was.
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That is why a three-peat is on the mind of Powell at Tokyo. The two-time Olympic gold medallist took on the Hockeyroos' head coaching position at the end of March, the first woman to do so since 1978, but already has her eyes set on a podium finish for the team.
Powell was tasked with taking over the squad after a turbulent nine months. All three captains stepped down from their leadership roles in October. In December two players were axed from the national contract list, with players threatening to strike before the pair successfully appealed the decision.
"I've come in brand new. I get to take everything on face value and what I've found since I've been here - and that opportunity just to look forward for me and to unite the group around that single purpose of the Olympics - I've found the athletes to be very committed, hard-working and talented and we're just working really hard towards success in Tokyo," Powell said.
The Hockeyroos have not won a medal since they took gold in 2000.
They placed a disappointing sixth at the Rio 2016 Games. However, Powell believes her 16-player squad has what it takes.
As a player, the three-time Olympian knows the pain of not medalling. In her final Games in Athens 2004, the team finished fifth.
"I suppose coming fifth at the Olympics shouldn't be a disappointment, but after winning gold in Atlanta and Sydney, it was disappointing for me," she said.
"So heading into Tokyo, we're very excited for the opportunity and certainly the Hockeyroos will be going for gold."
Ahead of the Games, the St Patrick's Hockey Club alumni said she had a mixture of excitement and nerves.
"I think there's still an uncertainty around the Olympics in terms of how it's going to run and so being adaptable and flexible, because it will be a very different Olympic Games," she said.
"So going in realistic and we have got to be really adaptable to the situation. Every athlete that's been to an Olympics has practised scenarios that could happen [but] there are many more scenarios that could happen for these Olympics."
Some of the different scenarios the Hockeyroos have been practising for include no family or friends at the event, a limited crowd or possibly none at all, isolation in Tokyo from other athletes, and things such as set meal times.
However, they were still yet to receive instructions on the exact playbook on their restrictions as a group.
"We're not sure how we will be set up in the village or how we will be able to run team meetings. So technology will play a really big part in these Olympics," she said.
"There won't be the big interactions with other athletes in the Australian team, that time when you get to be part of that broader Australian team, those opportunities will be will be limited, so it will be a very different Olympics."
Powell and the Hockeyroos are based in Perth but will be looking to head to even warmer weather in Darwin this week to acclimatise.
They are fresh off a 3-1 win over New Zealand and a defeat days before in a shootout.
"We're going to go to Darwin. Obviously Perth isn't as bad a winter as some places but it's still not the heat that we will find in Tokyo, so we're going to head to Darwin," she said.
"We fly to Tokyo from there on the 17th."
The Hockeyroos are delaying their arrival in Japan to allow the athletes to be free from restrictions as long as possible before the event.
Powell said the decision was made to delay their arrival until as late as possible because once hotel quarantine was factored in on return Australia, it was a long time for players to be restricted.
"We understand absolutely why, and all of the athletes are very prepared to do the hotel quarantine on return and want to keep the Australian community safe," she said.
"It will be really hard no matter what, you know when you're coming off the high of an Olympic Games and that experience, I think, we've got to do right by the athletes and the staff and take care of everyone's well being on return as well.
"Because the disappointment of not having family in Tokyo means also that you'll be back in the country for two weeks before you can even then celebrate with your family or commiserate with your family. So it's really high on the list of things that we want to make sure that we get right."
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