Curlers Ready for Winter Youth Olympic Games

Four curling-mad young Kiwis have been selected to represent New Zealand at the Winter Youth Olympic Games in South Korea early next year.

Jed Nevill, Olivia Russell, Jack Steele and Ellie McKenzie have been named to the New Zealand Team for the Games. All four will compete in the Mixed Team Event, with Jed and Olivia to also compete in the Mixed Doubles.

The athletes are all from Otago, with Olivia (17) and Jack from the curling hotspot of Maniototo, Jed (17) from the neighbouring Ida Valley, while Ellie (17) hails from Dunedin.

The squad has been busy preparing for the Games, spending countless hours on ice at the Naseby Indoor Curling Rink.

“I’m on the ice at least 5 days a week, training as much as possible,” said Olivia Russell.

“I can’t wait to get to the Winter Youth Olympics, we’re ready to perform and it’s going to be an amazing experience.”

The four athletes head into the Games brimming with confidence after attending a World Curling Academy youth training programme in Norway in August.

“My whole curling technique completely changed, we learnt so much over there and I’m really excited to put that into practice in Gangwon,” said Jack Steele.

“Ever since I was 13 I wanted to do this, it’s pretty crazy that it’s happening, it’s a real dream come true.”

Jed and Olivia will also represent New Zealand at the U21 World Junior B's in Finland in December, further adding to their international experience pre Winter Youth Olympics.

NZOC CEO Nicki Nicol extended her congratulations to the curlers.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for these young athletes and we’re really pleased to have them selected to the New Zealand Team. We wish them all the best as they represent their community and New Zealand in South Korea next year.”

Bella Stewart (Dunedin) and William Day (Auckland) have been selected as non-travelling reserves.

Curling is a team sport, played on ice, where two teams take it in turns to slide stones made of granite towards a target – known as a House.

 

About the Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games
 
Gangwon 2024 will be a celebration of sport, competition, culture and education, with the Games being held in the Gangwon Province (across 4 cities - Gangneung, Pyeongchang, Jeongseon, and Hoengseong) of South Korea.
 
The Games will run January 19 - February 1 and will welcome almost 2000 young athletes (aged between 14 and 18 years old) from around the world to compete in 7 sports, 15 disciplines and 81 events.
 
New Zealand is expected to be represented by around 20 athletes at Gangwon with athletes working towards selection in biathlon, curling, luge and ice figure skating. Twelve snow sports athletes have already been named to the team.
 
Gangwon 2024 aims to build upon the Olympic Games legacy, using many of the existing venues from the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The aim is to ensure a cost efficient and sustainable Youth Olympic Games, while at the same time providing young athletes the opportunity to compete in some of the same sites as Olympians did a few years ago.