IPOH: New Zealand are expecting a hot and humid Paris Olympics on July 26-Aug 11, and the world No. 10 believe the experience in Ipoh during the ongoing Sultan Azlan Shah (SAS) Cup will help them prepare for the mission.
The Black Sticks, who have brought a mixed squad of seniors and juniors for the SAS Cup, qualified for the Paris Games when they edged Pakistan 3-2 in a qualifier in January.
For the record, New Zealand were the Olympic champions at the 1976 Montreal Games. It will be their 14th appearance in Paris.
Coach Greg Nicol said the Malaysian weather could offer his players a glimpse of the hot Paris summer from July.
"It is humid here, and the weather will be the same in Paris. We hope the experience here will help us adapt to the weather during the Olympics," said the 49-year-old.
"It is not all about playing matches here, the extra training sessions in humid weather will benefit us. We cannot get such weather in our country."
New Zealand won the SAS Cup in 2012 and 2015.