New Zealand Olympic Committee appoints Chefs de Mission for Paris 2024 and Milano Cortina 2026
The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has appointed Olympian and five-time Commonwealth Games medallist Nigel Avery to lead the New Zealand Team for the Olympic Games Paris 2024, while Winter Games New Zealand CEO Marty Toomey has been named as the Chef de Mission for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.
Avery led the New Zealand Team for the first time at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham 2022, overseeing New Zealand’s most successful ever offshore Games.
“Birmingham was a fantastic experience and I was really proud of the team’s performances on and off the field of play. I’m now looking forward to creating a supportive environment for our Summer Olympic team, and ensuring our athletes have everything they need to meet their goals in Paris in just over a year and a half,” said Avery.
The New Zealand Team is expected to have around 200 representatives in Paris, with Avery saying that the Opening Ceremony will be an unforgettable occasion.
“The Paris 2024 Organising Committee has some pretty amazing plans in the pipeline. The Opening Ceremony is set to take place on the River Seine with athletes to be transported through the heart of the city on barges as hundreds of thousands of spectators line the banks of the river. We’re also expecting fantastic competition at iconic venues and we know our team will be giving everything to make New Zealand proud and add another chapter to our sporting history,” he added.
Meanwhile, Toomey is excited to lead another delegation at the Olympic Winter Games, following on from Beijing 2022 where the team created history by winning New Zealand’s first ever winter Olympic gold medals.
“Milano Cortina is fast approaching and I’m really pleased to have another opportunity to contribute to New Zealand’s success through the role of Chef de Mission. I’m looking forward to helping the team to build on the success of Beijing 2022 as the Olympic Winter Games head back to Europe,” said Toomey.
NZOC CEO Nicki Nicol noted how Avery and Toomey bring extensive experience to the roles, saying, “Nigel and Marty are both equipped with impressive leadership qualities and have shown they know how to lead teams at the highest level of sport They are the ideal people to lead the New Zealand Team, build on our culture of manaaki and help to create a new chapter in our Summer and Winter Olympic sporting history.”
