ONE YEAR TO RIO DE JANEIRO OLYMPIC GAMES

Today at 3pm, the official one year countdown to the Olympic Games begins.

Around the world, New Zealand athletes aiming to become part of New Zealands biggest Olympic Games team will be feeling the focus shift towards the deadline ahead. 

Chef de Mission Rob Waddell says the milestone is crucial.

Its when the blowtorch really comes on, said the gold medal winning Olympic rower.

Suddenly everyone is talking about the Olympic Games and its a time when New Zealand athletes will be asking themselves some pretty hard questions.

Theyll be asking right now, Am I ready? Have I done everything I can?

As the 365 day countdown is reached, indications are positive for the performance of the New Zealand Olympic Team in Rio.

Planning and preparations for the team are well progressed and strong results from international world cup and world championship results point to a record number of athletes being eligible for selection to the team.

We could have a team of more than 200 athletes, he said. Thats significantly more than London and Beijing. Rugby 7s and golf are new to the Olympic programme and that is good news for New Zealand.

Right now our top athletes are performing at a very high level. International results over the past year indicate we are on track to exceed the London 2012 tally of 13 medals, with a realistic chance of meeting High Performance Sport New Zealand's target of 14 medals.

Alongside athlete preparations, the New Zealand Olympic Committee is also working with Olympic organisers and New Zealand sports organisations to ensure athletes have the best possible conditions to perform and excel at the Olympic Games.

Weve secured favourable athlete accommodation and we're developing high performance systems that will help our athletes achieve,

An innovative high performance preparation and recovery centre in the village is a focus for the team.

We trialled the performance centre at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games and Rio will be the next step in the development of this area, said Waddell.

Venue and infrastructure construction continue to be monitored by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Olympic Park is now well progressed and we have confidence in the Rio Organising Committees ability to deliver a great Olympic Games.

Many of New Zealand's potential Olympic athletes are currently offshore, training and competing in the Northern Hemisphere summer season including swimming, canoe sprint, athletics, rowing and cycling.

Among them is Commonwealth Games gold medallist and World Champion track cyclist Sam Webster, based in Mallorca.

A year isn't that long and hard graft now will pay dividends in Rio, said Webster.

There's no letting up. I need to do everything I can to make the team. I was a 'P' reserve (outside Olympic village) in London and I am hungrier than ever to make the Olympic team. My focus, as always, is based on performance and I believe that this will put my best foot forward for selection and medal contention come Rio.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee will mark the milestone with the launch of its Be the Inspiration campaign and digital video hub. The hub will feature rare footage and historic Olympic moments and is due to go live from 3pm, coinciding with the stroke of midnight on 5 August in Rio. The Prime Ministers Olympic Gala fundraising dinner at the Auckland Viaduct Events Centre also takes place this evening.

The Rt Hon John Key, Rob Waddell and Kereyn Smith will be joined by athletes DJ Forbes (rugby sevens), Anita Punt (hockey), David Nyika (boxing) and others at the black-tie function.

Womens Black Stick and London Olympian Anita Punt is looking forward to the challenge of another Olympic Campaign and marking the one year to go milestone.

Its now that the excitement which has been building throughout the Olympic cycle really starts to lift. The next 12 months will fly by and its important that we stay on track to deliver our best performance in Rio said Punt.

It seems like only yesterday we were in London. As a team were really happy with our progress and results so far and our preparation is tracking well for 2016.

Rob Waddell and some of the Olympic leadership team will head to Rio de Janeiro at the end of this week for a site visit in the Olympic host city, coinciding with a number of test events and the critical one year out Chefs de Mission Seminar.

The Rio Olympic Games take place 5 21 August 2016.