The former Moss Vale and Bowral hockey junior remains on a high following the Hockeyroos' recent 3-2 final triumph over China - the team's first major tournament win since Sydney 2000.

Rivers, who will return to her family's Moss Vale home for Christmas, gained enormous experience playing against the world's best hockey nations during the Champions Trophy.

The 23-year-old striker - who is based at the Australian Institute of Sport at Perth during winter and works in Sydney during summer - featured in four of Australia's six games.

Though she missed out on getting her name on the scoresheet, her performances were impressive enough to convince selectors to stick with her for February's tours of Greece and South Africa.

She is very aware that another strong showing in the green and gold overseas, followed by a solid display for the NSW Institute of Sport Arrows at the national championships in March, should gain her a place in Australia's team for Athens 2004.

"It would be great to play in an Olympic Games, that's the pinnacle for hockey," said Rivers this week.

"I'm pretty new to the Hockeyroos team - I've only been in the side for about five months - so I'm just taking things as they come.

"I'd still be young enough to play in the next Olympics but while I've got such a big opportunity for 2004 I'm going to do everything I can."

Though proud of her achievements to date, Rivers said she could still hardly believe she was playing for Australia.

"It was a bit of a childhood dream, but I never really expected it to happen," said Rivers.

"And things developed really quickly for me. I made it into the state squad, then the next year I was at the Australian Institute of Sport, then the year after I was in the Australian team.

"Some of the players that I admire most are actually in the Australian team at the moment - the likes of Katrina Powell and Nikki Hudson - and when I was first selected I had to get over that awestruck feeling."

More experienced Hockeyroos teammate Bianca Netzler, the 27-year-old midfielder who hails from Marulan, is expected to be an automatic selection for Athens.