Olympics-Hockey-Australia's Fiona Johnson out of Games

BEIJING Aug 5 (Reuters) - Australia's Fiona Johnson has been ruled out of the women's hockey at the Beijing Olympics with a hamstring injury, a team official said on Tuesday.

Defender Johnson suffered a tear in her left hamstring during a practice match against Argentina on Saturday and the injury proved to be serious enough to rule her out of her first Games.

Australian team officials have applied to the International Olympic Council to replace Johnson in the 16-player squad, a statement on the AOC website said.

Western Australia alterative Shelly Liddelow is expected to be elevated into the line-up.

Johnson will continue to remain with the team.

Three-times Olympics champions Australia finished fifth in the last Olympics after winning the previous two golds.

They are placed in a tough group with top-ranked Netherlands, China, Spain, South Korea and South Africa.

The hockey events start on Sunday. (Reporting by Sanjay Rajan; Editing by Alison Williams) (For more stories visit our multimedia website "Road to Beijing" here; and see our blog at blogs.reuters.com/china)