First NZ athletes selected for Innsbruck 2012
FIRST NEW ZEALAND ATHLETES SELECTED FOR WINTER YOUTH OLYMPIC GAMES
The inaugural Youth Olympic Winter Games will take place in less than three months’ time and New Zealand will be well represented.
New Zealand’s first athletes selected to the 2012 Winter Youth Olympic Team will be part of this exciting new event which will see over 1,000 of the world's best 14-18 year olds contest all winter Olympic sports.
Thirteen of New Zealand’s finest young winter talent have been named into the team and a further two are expected to join the Team as qualifications continue until mid-December.
Among the athletes named are Olivia Thomson (biathlon), David Weyer (curling), Eleanor Adviento (curling), Kelsi Heath (curling) Luke Steele (curling), Callum Burns (ice hockey), Libby-Jean Hay (ice hockey), Beau-James Wells (freeski), Hamish Bagley (snowboard), Harry Izard-Price (alpine), Piera Hudson (alpine), Samantha Poots (freeski) and Tim Herbert (snowboard)
In addition to ice hockey, curling, skiing and snowboard, New Zealand hopes to contest luge.
Peter Wardell will lead this group of teenagers as the New Zealand Olympic Committee 2012 New Zealand Winter Youth Olympic Team Chef de Mission.
"I'm thrilled to lead a young team of talented athletes," Chef de Mission Peter Wardell said.
"The Winter Youth Olympics will provide a valuable pathway for young athletes and I'm sure it will accelerate the development of everyone in the lead up to future Winter Olympic Games in Sochi in 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018. I know former winter athletes would have got a lot out of an event like this if it was around when they were striving towards Olympic success."
The Games will see new events such as snowboard, slopestyle, ski halfpipe on the programme, a trial run for their full Olympic debut in Sochi in 2014. These additional events are set to open doors to young New Zealand athletes.
A number of disciplines have adapted events such as the ice hockey individual skills challenge, as well as mixed gender and mixed nation relays.
New Zealanders continue to compete over the coming months in luge and freeski with the final team to be announced mid-December.
Sarah van Ballekom, has been appointed as a Young Ambassador (YA) for Innsbruck by the International Olympic Committee. The YAs will act as guides for the young athletes, encouraging them to get involved in the Culture and Education Programme (CEP) and to make the most of the opportunities on offer.
Barbara Kendall will also be an Innsbruck 2012 Athlete Role Model (ARMs). These ARMs will be on hand in Innsbruck to mentor the roughly 1,000 young athletes taking part. The ARMs will spend time with the athletes, answering their questions and providing tips on everything from healthy eating to training regimens. The ARMs will also participate alongside the athletes in the Culture and Education Programme, which will focus on Olympism and the Olympic values, skills development, well-being and healthy lifestyles, social responsibility and expression through digital media.
New Zealand Innsbruck Winter Youth Olympic Games Team:
Olivia Thomson (15) - biathlon, Wanaka
David Weyer (17) - curling, Ranfurly
Eleanor Adviento (16) - curling, Auckland
Kelsi Heath (16) - curling, North Shore
Luke Steele (17) - curling, Ranfulry
Callum Burns (14) - ice hockey, Queenstown
Libby-Jean Hay (16) - ice hockey, Auckland
Beau-James Wells (15) - free ski, Wanaka
Hamish Bagley (15) - snowboard, Arrowtown
Harry Izard-Price (16) - alpine, Wellsford
Piera Hudson (15)- alpine
Samantha Poots (15) – freeski, Wanaka
Tim Herbert (16) – snowboard, Wanaka
