No, the Boston-born hockey star is not using anger as a tactic to help spur her Great Britain team to Olympic glory... instead she will be wearing customised contact lenses in a bid to improve her vision.

The Team GB hockey players have all be testing out the red contacts – which operate in the same way as sunglasses, protecting eyes from the sun's glare – in the build-up to the Games.

However, with or without the use of these new tools, Crista – a two-time World All Star XI player – is confident of success this month.

She said: "We have a really tough group but I am confident, if we play as well as we can, we have the potential to win a medal.

"We have developed a lot over the past two or three years and we know we can compete with the best teams in the world."

Leicester player Crista, whose family are still associated with Boston Hockey Club, believes Germany, New Zealand and favourites Holland are the opponents who will offer the biggest threat to GB's dreams of topping the podium.

However, do our girls hold a psychological advantage?

"Holland are ranked number one but we have run them close in a number of matches and we beat them recently on home turf," added Crista, who moved to Kenya as a small girl before returning to Lincolnshire.

Another Olympian who knows all about the edge sportsmen and women can get from modern technology is home-grown hero Melanie Marshall.

Swimmer Mel won two medals and broke a Commonwealth relay record at the FINA World Short-course Championships in manchester this year after trying out the Speedo LZR all-in-one suit.

However, in Beijing she will be back in the 50m pool... and with an extra event to contend.

Mel – the most successful English competitor at an individual Commonwealth Games after scooping six medals in Melbourne two years ago – was expecting just to be a part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team, currently ranked number two in the world.

She thought she had missed out on making the 4x100m freestyle team after being disqualified for the finals of the British Championships after failing to appear in the marshal's room within the designated time.

In fact, Mel was sat outside the door oblivious to the swimmers' call.
However, this week Jess Sylvester – who made the relay team after Mel's disqualification – was told the Wrangle competitor would be taking her place after all.

It seems that the GB team don't want to leave anything to chance and have reinstated their more experienced athlete, who is also 1.5 seconds faster.

"The Olympics is the big one for me – it's my main aim to do well in Beijing," Mel told The Standard.

Mel will dive in for the first time – the 4x100m heats – on Saturday (from 11.30am).

GB begin hockey action on Sunday, when they face old rivals Germany (2pm).