By IANS
Lausanne : After missing the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, Canada qualified for the 2008 Beijing Games by winning the Pan American Games gold medal and becoming the fifth country to qualify in the men's competition.
Before Canada made the grade Wednesday, hosts China, Asian Games champions South Korea, Asiad bronze medallists Pakistan and African champions South Africa had booked their Olympic tickets, International Hockey Federation (FIH) announced Thursday.
Canada defeated Argentina 5-4 in tie-breaker after the regulation time as well as the extra period had ended in a 2-2 draw in the Pan American Games final in Rio de Janeiro.
One Olympic berth each was available in the men's and women's events at the Pan American Games.
In the men's category, the remaining seven Beijing vacancies will go to the first three in the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Manchester from Aug 18-26, the winner of the Oceania Cup in Buderim, Australia, from Sep 10-17 and the three winners of the WorldHockey Olympic qualifying tournaments to be played early 2008.
India, eight-time Olympic champions, will also be competing at the Olympic qualifiers to book a berth at the 2008 Games.
The Argentine women compensated for the failure in the men's event by winning the gold medal with a 4-2 victory over the US in the final.
Argentina joined hosts China, Asian Games silver medallist Japan and African champions South Africa in the women's section for the Beijing Olympics.
The remaining eight vacancies will go to the first three in the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Manchester from Aug 18-26, the finalists of the Oceania Cup in Buderim, Australia, from Sep 10-17 and the three winners of the Olympic qualifiers next year.