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The New Zealand Olympic Committee has named a team of 34 young Kiwis aged between 14 and 18 to represent New Zealand at the Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games.

Following in the footsteps of New Zealand Olympians, including cyclist Sam Bewley and swimmers Corney Swanepoel and Corey Main who also competed at Commonwealth Youth Games, athletes from athletics, beach volleyball, boxing, cycling and swimming will gain their first Commonwealth-style games experience.

New Zealand Olympic Committee CEO Kereyn Smith welcomed the young athletes to the team.

“We are delighted to name the 34 young athletes today as members of the Bahamas Commonwealth Youth Games Team and wish them well as they head to their first mutli-sport event,” she said.  “We know how important this games will be in their future development as athletes.”

The New Zealand Commonwealth Youth Games team will feature a number of New Zealand's talented youngsters, including distance runners Hannah O'Connor and Katrina Robinson and throwers Connor Bell and Nick Palmer.  

Dylan Simpson from Palmerston North Boys High School who was a 2016 National U17 Men’s School Championships gold medallist will be joined by Jenna Merrick and Abigail Morton from Baradene High School representing New Zealand in cycling.

Swimming will be represented by 11 athletes aiming to emulate the success of the previous Commonwealth Youth Olympic Games (Samoa 2015) where they brought home eight of New Zealand’s total of 20 medals. Australian based New Zealander Laticia Transom, who won two medals at the recent New Zealand Open Championships together with Lewis Clareburt who won six medals at the national age group championships headline the swimming team.

The Commonwealth Youth Games Team will be rounded off with five athletes from boxing and four from beach volleyball.

The Youth Games are part of the wider Commonwealth Games Federation's commitment to partner and support peaceful, sustainable and prosperous Commonwealth communities. The Bahamas 2017 will be the second edition of the Youth Games to be held on a Small Island Developing State, following the Samoa 2015 Commonwealth Youth Games in September. It will also be the first Commonwealth Games event to be held in the Caribbean for over 50 years, with Commonwealth athletes last participating in the 1966 Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica.

The Bahamas Youth Commonwealth Games will host 1300 athletes from around the Commonwealth and take place games 18 – 23 July 2017.

THE TEAM

ATHLETICS 

Connor Bell                            Auckland                     Discus

Kayla Goodwin                       Hamilton                     Long Jump, 100m Hurdles

James Guthrie-Croft              Auckland                     100m, 200m

Tatiana Kaumoana                 Te Aroha                      Discus

Nicholas Moulai                     Christchurch                1500m, 3000m

Hannah O'Connor                  Taranaki                       1500m, 3000m

Nick Palmer                            Hawke's Bay               Shot Put

Isaiah Priddey                        Hamilton                      1500m, 3000m

Katrina Robinson                   Australia                      1500m, 3000m

Imogen Skelton                      Wellington                   High Jump , 800m

Mellata Tatola                         Auckland                     Shot Put, Discus

 

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

Tyran Gillespie                        Rotorua                       Men's Team

Keegan Joe                            New Plymouth            Men's Team

Ella Akkerman                        Tauranga                     Women's Team

Jasmine Milton                       Whangarei                  Women's Team

 

BOXING

Kyle Chen                               Paihia                          75kg

Jayden Downs                       Auckland                     69kg

Pelea Fruean                          Auckland                     60kg

Rakai Kirkwood                      Auckland                     64kg

Shylah Waikai                         Australia                      51kg

 

CYCLING

Jenna Merrick                         Auckland                     Women's Road

Abigail Morton                        Auckland                     Women's Road

Dylan Simpson                       Palmerston North        Men's Road

SWIMMING 

Hannah Bates                         Christchurch               200m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, 200m, Butterfly, 200m IM, 400m IM

Lewis Clareburt                       Wellington                   100m Free, 200m Free, 400m Free,100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke, 100m Butterfly, 200m Butterfly,                                                                                             200m IM, 400m IM

Chelsey Edwards                    Upper Hutt                  200m Free, 400m Free, 800m Free

Madie Falconer                       Auckland                     50m Free, 100m Free, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Butterfly

Gina Galloway                        Auckland                     50m Backstroke, 100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly

Finn Kennard-Campbell         Auckland                     50m Free, 50m Backstroke, 100m Backstroke, 200m Backstroke, 50m Butterfly, 100m Butterfly

Callum Prime                         Auckland                     50m Free, 100m Free , 50m Breaststroke, 200m IM, 400m IM    

Mya Rasmussen                    Feilding                        100m Breaststroke, 200m IM, 400m IM

Zac Reid                                New Plymouth             200m Free, 400m Free, 1500m Free

Ciara Smith                             Whangarei                   50m Breaststroke, 100m Breaststroke, 200m Breaststroke

Laticia Transom                      Australia                      50m Free, 100m Free, 200m Free, 100m Backstroke           

Bahamas 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games
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