New Zealand Olympic Committee celebrates 100 years of the New Zealand Olympic Team

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) this week celebrated the centenary of the New Zealand team’s Olympic debut at the 1920 Antwerp Olympic Games.

The 1920 Games was the first time New Zealand had participated independently at the Olympics, with athletes from New Zealand previously competing as part of the Australian Team.

NZOC CEO Kereyn Smith used the 100 year anniversary to reflect on the New Zealand team at the Olympic Games:

“From Jack Lovelock winning our first Olympic athletics gold in in 1936, to Dame Yvette Williams becoming our first woman to win Olympic gold, Sir Peter Snell’s double in Tokyo in 1964 and teenagers Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous winning bronze within hours of each other in PyeongChang in 2018, there have been countless inspiring moments.”

“Today New Zealanders tell us the New Zealand Team inspires excellence and our athletes are role models for young New Zealanders, visiting tens of thousands of school children each year. Athletes are proud to be representing our nation and believe being part of a strong and unique New Zealand Team gives them a performance edge when it matters most.

“The Olympic Games showcase New Zealand and our culture and values to billions of people across the globe.

“We’re extremely proud of the New Zealand Team and its positive impact in New Zealand and around the world.

“We also honour and remember the New Zealand athletes that marched as “Australasians” at the Olympic Games in London 1908 and Stockholm 1912, as well as those New Zealanders who were unable to attend the boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympic Games.”

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach sent a video message to the New Zealand Team.

“New Zealand has written Olympic history and the silver fern is a symbol of your sporting success and dedication to our common Olympic values. All the best for the next 100 years,” said Bach.

Source: Olympic.org.nz