The New Zealand team for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games has been finalised, with 61 young athletes to represent New Zealand at the Games.
The New Zealand athletes will compete across 22 sports at the games, which run from October 6-18th in the Argentinean capital.
The youngest Kiwi athlete is Otago swimmer Erika Fairweather who will be 14 years old at games time. Fairweather was born on the cut-off date of 31/12/2003 so will be one of the youngest athletes at the Games. Her swimming teammate Zac Reid is the oldest New Zealand athlete and will be aged 18 at Games time.
Above: Zac Reid
Auckland athletes are the most numerous in the team with 15 athletes from the supercity, followed by Waikato with 11 athletes, and the Bay of Plenty with 8.
New Zealand Team Chef de Mission Barbara Kendall says the final team naming is a significant milestone, with the athletes to put the finishing touches on their preparation over the next month.
“We have some very exciting young athletes in this team and we can’t wait to show what New Zealand’s next generation of high performance athletes are capable of.
"With just over a month until competition begins our athletes are all working really hard to prepare for what's going to be a tough but rewarding experience.
“We’re also looking forward to the learning and development opportunities presented by these Games and I have no doubt that our athletes will return from the Games having found it a hugely beneficial development experience.”
The majority of the New Zealand team will depart from Auckland on October 3rd.
The 2018 Youth Olympic Games is run by the International Olympic Committee and will be the third summer youth Games, following those in Singapore in 2010 and Nanjing in 2014.
The Games are a pre-elite development opportunity for the world's most promising young athletes, allowing them to experience a multi-sport games environment while exposing them to learning and cultural opportunities and helping them on the performance pathway.
Previous Youth Olympic Games athletes who have gone on to further sporting success include Joseph Parker, Julia Ratcliffe, Dylan Schmidt, Jacko Gill, Rose Keddell, Reuben Te Rangi and more.
Almost four thousand athletes from 206 countries will compete at the Games.
The New Zealand Team:
Archery Rebecca Jones Canterbury
Athletics Connor Bell Auckland
Athletics Kayla Goodwin Waikato
Athletics Dominic Overend Auckland
Athletics Hannah O'Connor Taranaki
Athletics Murdoch McIntyre Auckland
Badminton Oscar Guo Auckland
Basketball Joseph Ahie Wellington
Basketball Thomas Whyte Auckland
Basketball Max de Geest Waitaki
Basketball James Moors Auckland
Beach Volleyball Keegan Joe Taranaki
Beach Volleyball David Jeffrey Taranaki
Beach Volleyball Tamara Otene Auckland
Beach Volleyball Maya Dickson Taranaki
Boxing Te Mania Shelford Waikato
Boxing Kasib Murdoch Otago
Canoe/Kayak Finn Anderson Bay of Plenty
Canoe/Kayak Kahlia Cullwick Bay of Plenty
Canoe/Kayak George Snook Bay of Plenty
Cycling Cailen Calkin Waikato
Cycling Jessie Smith Waikato
Cycling Max Taylor Manawatu
Cycling Phoebe Young Otago
Cycling Samara Maxwell Waikato
Equestrian Briar Burnett-Grant Waikato
Golf Juliana Hung Canterbury
Golf Jimmy Zheng Auckland
Gymnastics Sam Dick Auckland
Judo Rihari Iki Australia
Karate Raukawa Jefferies Waikato
Rugby Tiana Davison Taranaki
Rugby Dhys Faleafaga Wellington
Rugby Tynealle Fitzgerald Bay of Plenty
Rugby Iritana Hohaia Taranaki
Rugby Jazmin Hotham Waikato
Rugby Azalleyah Maaka Gisborne
Rugby Risaleaana Pouri-Lane Tasman
Rugby Montessa Tairakena Waikato
Rugby Kalyn Takitimu-Cook Manawatu
Rugby Arorangi Tauranga Waikato
Rugby Hinemoa Watene Auckland
Sailing - Kiteboard Pia Gordon Australia
Sailing - Windsurf Max van der Zalm Bay of Plenty
Sailing - Windsurf Veerle Ten Have Bay of Plenty
Sport Climbing Sarah Tetzlaff Wellington
Swimming Zac Reid Taranaki
Swimming Gina Galloway Auckland
Swimming Michael Pickett Gisborne
Swimming Erika Fairweather Otago
Table Tennis Hui-Ling Vong Wellington
Table Tennis Nathan Xu Auckland
Tennis Valentina Ivanov Australia
Triathlon Dylan McCullough Auckland
Triathlon Brea Roderick Canterbury
Weightlifting Kanah Andrews-Nahu Auckland
Wrestling Westerly Ainsley Bay of Plenty
Wrestling Arapo Kellner Northland
Wrestling Ryan Marshall Waikato
Wrestling Ella Derry Bay of Plenty
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