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Olympic Team Chef de Mission Rob Waddell has returned from a site visit to Rio de Janeiro and says with 617 days until the 2016 Olympic Games preparations for the New Zealand team are progressing well.

This was Waddells second visit to the host city and he says it was a crucial step in ensuring the impeccable delivery of a high performance environment for the expected 200 New Zealand Olympic athletes.

We need to ensure our athletes deliver on their performance expectations, said Waddell. Our job right now is to understand the environment, the constraints and the opportunities Rio de Janeiro will provide the New Zealand Olympic team.

A current focus for Waddell was the layout and location of accommodation for the New Zealand team in the Olympic village.

The village needs to provide an environment that both supports athletes in their preparations for elite competition as well as is a place they can relax, recuperate and call home.

Were developing our plans and working with the Rio organisers to get the very best for our athletes.

Waddell and his team also visited a number of the key competition venues and says preparations have visibly moved forward since the last site visit.

Progress at Deodoro is evident with construction on the Canoe/Kayak slalom course and the hockey venue now underway. Olympic Park has also developed markedly and we have noted significant progress in the development of transport infrastructure needed to deliver athletes to competition.

There is still a tight timeframe ahead for the organisers and the pressure must stay on, but we are looking forward to continued progress and the delivery of an outstanding games in 2016. Our job is to be absolutely prepared for each Olympic Games environment.

The New Zealand teams assessment of developments in Rio aligned with a positive response from the IOC Coordination Commission after their latest assessment that took place in October. Progress was reviewed as satisfactory and Commission Chair Nawal El Moutakawel stated that core works are progressing at full speed.  It is the role of the IOC Coordination Commission to monitor preparations and readiness in an Olympic host city on behalf of National Olympic Committees and other stakeholders. 

Site visits are conducted regularly in the build-up to any Olympic Games and include from time to time representatives from sport and other stakeholders to ensure coordinated planning across all aspects of an athletes Olympic experience. The next site visit to Rio de Janeiro will take place in the first quarter of 2015. 

Rio 2016 Olympic Summer Games
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