England’s Mens’ team has finished fourth in the last two Games in Delhi in 2010 and Melbourne four years earlier.

But Mantell is convinced they can go one better this time, despite the presence of recent World Cup winners and firm favourites, Australia.

The 30-year-old told The Chronicle: “Our preparation has been good. We are ranked second behind the favourites Australia going into the tournament and we want to be pushing for the top medals.

“We know that if we win our group we will be kept apart from Australia until the final which will be an obvious help.”

He added: “We have a lot of men and women players from Reading in the England teams and we know we’ll get a lot of support back home.”

Reading Hockey Club’s women will be competing against each other as Kate Richardson-Walsh, Alex Danson and Susie Gilbert are in the England squad, while Leah Wilkinson, Elen Barnes and Sarah Jones will represent Wales and Emily Maguire for Scotland.

Reading swimmer Adam Barrett, 21, will also be going for gold in the 50m and 100m butterfly, and could also be picked in any of three relay teams.

Fellow 21-year-old Chris Mears, from Burghfield Common, is entered in the 1m springboard and synchronised 3m springboard diving events.

And Reading RFC members will be keeping a close eye on the Rugby 7s when winger Jordan Gomez will run out for Barbados, who are in the same group as New Zealand.

Other Berkshire athletes seeking glory with Team England are 16-year-old Binfield clay pigeon shooter Amber Hill, and Sophie Papps, the 19-year-old athlete from Bracknell who could run in the 4x100m relay.

Papps' teammate from Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow Athletic Club, Lawrence Clarke, hopes to be amongst the medals in the 110m having won bronze in Delhi 2010.

Andrew Willis, 23, who represents Bracknell & Wokingham Swimming Club, is due to compete in the 200m breaststroke tonight, and will be cheered on by club members back at Bracknell Leisure Centre.

Two judo stars who began at Pinewood Judo Club will also be in action, including 24-year-old Megan Fletcher.

The former Emmbrook School pupil was due to represent England with her brother, Ben, but he has been forced to pull out through injury. Matt Purssey will compete for Scotland.

Lucie Colbeck, 18, from Binfield, is also part of the British Tumbling Squad which will perform at the games, along with her Pinewood Gymnastics Club partner Yasmin Taite.