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Kiwi riders rush to Rio

A gutsy third placing at the Boekelo Horse Trials in The Netherlands overnight has clinched New Zealand an equestrian eventing spot at the Rio Olympic Games.

The New Zealand team - featuring Jonelle Price on Cloud Dancer II, Tim Price on Xavier Faer, Jesse Campbell on Kaapachino and Dan Jocelyn on Dassett Cool Touch - survived challenging cross country and show jumping phases to finish just behind Ireland and the United States, and qualify for next year's Olympics.

The top Kiwi individual rider was 1996 Olympic gold medalist and two-time Boekolo winner Blyth Tait, second overall on Xanthus III. Jocelyn ended the event 18th, with Jonelle Price 22nd.

Roulstons on the comeback track

Hayden Roulston has made an emphatic return to track cycling, winning two golds and setting up a third for New Zealand at the Oceania championships in Invercargill.

The double Beijing Olympic medalist - whos been absent from serious track cycling since 2008, but is gunning to ride in Rio - won the individual and team pursuit, before helping team-mate Aaron Gate to win the points race title in the final event of the championship yesterday. Roulston won the silver medal.

Gold medals were also snapped up by the Kiwi mens sprint team of Eddie Dawkins, Sam Webster and Ethan Mitchell, the womens team pursuit (Holly Edmonston, Kirstie James, Alysha Keith and Elizabeth Steel), and Nick Kergozou and Cam Karwowski in the mens madison. 

Team Jolly on a mission

Olympic yachting champions Jo Aleh and Polly Powrie are on a mission to regain their world 470 title in Israel this week. Team Jolly won the title in 2013, and were silver medallists last year. A victory on the idyllic waters of Haifa would be a major boost as they work towards defending their Olympic title in Rio next year.

The New Zealand mens 470 crew of Paul Snow-Hansen and Daniel Willcox will also be looking for a strong performance in Israel, having already qualified New Zealand for next years Olympic Games.

Testing build-up for Black Sticks

The Black Sticks men took plenty of valuable lessons from their four-test series against India, in the build-up to their upcoming Olympic qualification showdown with Australia. The New Zealanders won the first test, drew the last, and lost the two in between, but coach Colin Batch saw the series as beneficial preparation for the Oceania Cup in Stratford, in just over a week. The Black Sticks will now concentrate on converting chances in the circle.

The womens Black Sticks, who have already qualified for Rio 2016, drew their four-test series against Argentina, ending with a lacklustre 2-1 loss.

World Champs prove tough going for Kiwi boxers

The New Zealand boxing team found the going tough at the AIBA World Championships in Doha, with Patrick Mailata, Chad Milnes, and brothers David and Josh Nyika all beaten in their first bouts. Super heavyweight Mailata lost to a Brazilian opponent; a British welterweight ended Josh Nyikas championship hopes; while lightweight Milnes suffered a similar fate up against a boxer from Uzbekistan.

Commonwealth Games gold medalist David Nyika came up against the worlds fourth-ranked amateur heavyweight in his first bout, Rustam Tulaganov, and lost in a 29-28 unanimous decision. But Nyika vowed his bid to box at the Rio Olympic Games would continue, hoping to claim the top heavyweight mantle at the Asia Oceania qualifier next March.

Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games
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