Road to Rio Oct 27 - Nov 2

Black Hawks soar to new high in Portugal

New Zealand trampolinists Dylan Schmidt and Kierran Tuhi - aka Team Black Hawks - have won silver in the mens synchronised trampoline at the Loule World Cup in Portugal.

After qualifying in sixth place, the New Zealand men produced an outstanding finals performance, and were only 0.6 points behind gold medallists French duo Allan Morante and Sebastien Martiny.

Both men also competed in the individual trampoline competition, with Schmidt finishing 21st, and Tuhi 43rd. The GymSports NZ High Performance athletes are working their way towards qualifying New Zealand for the Rio Olympics for the first time.

Eddie Dawkins makes amends in Cali

Eddie Dawkins has won bronze in the keirin at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup in Colombia, fighting back after the New Zealanders' disappointing performance in the team sprint.

After the team sprinters came home 16th in windy conditions on the open track in Cali, Dawkins dominated his keirin semifinal, finishing well clear of world champion Francoise Pervis. He didnt get the same run in the final, but still earned bronze. Team-mate Simon van Velthooven was eighth.

Kiwi gymnastics into Olympic test event

Both New Zealand men and women have earned the right to compete at the Olympic gymnastics test event in Rio next April.

North Harbour gymnast Misha Koudinovs 48th place in the all-round mens competition at the world championships in Glasgow last week, has ensured the New Zealand men a country spot in the crucial test event.

New Zealands women also won a test event spot, courtesy of Courtney McGregors 17th place in the two vault division in Glasgow.

Murray and Bond still on top of the world

For the second year running, New Zealands unbeatable rowing pair, Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, have taken out the top two spots in World Rowings top male rower rankings.

Murray and Bond were again first and second respectively in the 2015 individual rankings, after the 2012 Olympic champions extended their unbeaten record in the mens pair and winning their sixth straight world championship pairs title. Olympic champion sculler Mahe Drysdale is 32nd on the list.

World champion double sculler Zoe Stevenson was the top Kiwi in the worlds top 10 female rowers, ranked seventh; and one of 10 New Zealand women in the top 50.

Two Laser sailors in top 10

Laser sailor Sam Meech was the best of the New Zealanders at the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Abu Dhabi, finishing eighth overall.

Both Meech and Mike Bullot worked their way into the final medal race, but couldn't improve on their overall standings, with Bullot ending the regatta in 10th.

Of the other Kiwis, Andy Maloney was 11th in the Laser, while Sara Winther was 19th in the Laser Radial class. 

Inaugural World Beach Games Announced for 2017