A Sporting Chance: NZCT Backs Special Olympics With $250,000 Grant
Mark Davies, Special Olympics New Zealand's Finance and Funding Manager, says the funding comes at a crucial time. 'Special Olympics operates within a four-year cycle, the pinnacle event of which is our National Summer Games. This year, from 10-14 December, 1,400 athletes plus 450 coaches and support workers will arrive in Christchurch to participate in the Games.
'Our athletes spend years qualifying for these Games by attending local and regional events that test their capacity to travel, compete, and stay away from home independently. Over the past few years, our qualifying events have seen a significant increase in participation and we're on track for the largest National Summer Games in history.
'From the moment team members arrive in Christchurch, we take care of all their needs, including (but not limited to) transport, accommodation, health screenings, meals, and scheduling. A significant part of this generous grant from NZCT will be used for transporting our athletes from their accommodations to (and between) different events."
This year's Games will feature ten sports across seven venues, including athletics, swimming, football, basketball, golf, equestrian, indoor bowling, ten pin bowling, bocce, and power lifting. Over 700 volunteers will help make it all happen — from running events to ensuring medical support is on hand. Special Olympics requires a 1:4 coach-to-athlete ratio to ensure all athletes receive the right level of care and support.
Athlete Leader Ryan says, 'I enjoy the National Summer Games because there isn't the same level of pressure that you get in mainstream sport. It's all about smiles and everyone having fun.' Fellow Athlete Leader Chrissa says, 'For the first time in my life, I realised that those with disabilities can still hold strong opinions and compete enthusiastically, just like everyone else.' Athlete Leader Shanae, adds 'Because of the Special Olympics programme, I was able to participate in sports for the first time ever when I was fifteen years old.'
NZCT's GM of Grants, Marketing and Communications, Ben Hodges, says, ''We're proud to support Special Olympics New Zealand in delivering such a meaningful and inclusive event. The National Summer Games are more than just a sporting event — they're a celebration of ability, determination, and community. Grants like this wouldn't be possible without the responsible gaming partnerships we share with our local venues.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scoop
20 hours ago
- Scoop
One Year To Go
Today marks 'One Year to Go' until the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, with the New Zealand Team honouring the milestone with the official launch of its'The Fern is all of Us'campaign. 'One Year to Go' will be celebrated this evening at a cocktail event at Auckland War Memorial Museum, attended by athletes, dignitaries including Her Excellency Dame Cindy Kiro, Governor General and the New Zealand Team Patron, as well as donors and sponsors. The event will feature a musical collaboration between Te Whare Haka o Waititi and the City of Sails Pipe Band, honouring both the Māori and Scottish cultures while Her Excellency Dame Cindy Kiro will also present the official King's Baton to the New Zealand Team on the night. 'Marking 'One Year to Go' is a significant moment for our team and our nation,' said NZOC CEO, Nicki Nicol. 'It's a chance to reflect on the journey ahead and the values that unite us as the New Zealand Team. The Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games is shaping up to be a superb Games and tonight's milestone will be a great warm-up,' she said. As well as celebrating 'One Year to Go', the New Zealand Team today launched a campaign that will guide the New Zealand Team's wider journey in 2026, including the Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games in February and the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar in October. The campaign builds on the idea that the New Zealand Team brings the whole country together under one fern, one takahi, the foundation of our Pou Tangata haka. 'It speaks to the unity and strength of the New Zealand Team together with the communities who support them,' said Head of Brand and Marketing, Alex Cooper-Cuthbert. 'We wanted a really emotive piece that encapsulated the idea 'when you face one of us, you face all of us,' she said. The Commonwealth Games 'King's Baton Relay' Baton will also be on display at the event in its pre-designed state. Spanning all 74 Commonwealth nations and territories, the King's Baton Relay celebrates communities and marks the countdown to the Games. The Glasgow 2026 Baton has been reimagined with a 'Baton for Every Nation' concept, each baton is decorated to reflect its country's cultural heritage and identity. A fully designed and crafted New Zealand Baton will be unveiled during the New Zealand leg of the relay, from March 15-20 2026. As the countdown begins, 2026 is set to be an exciting year for the New Zealand Team. The Milano Cortina Winter Olympic Games run from February 6 to February 22 2026. The Glasgow Commonwealth Games run from July 23 to August 2 2026. The Dakar Youth Olympic Games run from October 31 to November 13, 2026 About the NZOC The New Zealand Olympic Committee was established in 1911. Since then, we have used our unique mandate to select and lead more than 60 teams to Olympic and Commonwealth Games across the globe. Our athletes and teams are at the heart of our organisation and their stories have become integral to our national identity. They represent Aotearoa New Zealand with honour and pride and the silver fern is a symbol of their sporting success. For decades our teams and athletes have showcased our unique culture and values on the world stage as well as promoting excellence and innovation through their stories and success. We are a charity and rely heavily on commercial and other funding partnerships as we promote sport and the Olympic values and help create New Zealand history. We are engaged in education programmes for young New Zealanders and, through Olympic Solidarity and other partnerships, help fund athlete and sport development. We work in partnership with High Performance Sport New Zealand, which invests significant funding and specialist resources in NSOs, coaches and athletes to support performance on the world stage in New Zealand's targeted sports. We are proud to represent the Olympic and Commonwealth sporting movements in New Zealand.
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- NZ Herald
On The Up: Northland Special Olympics gets $27k Freemasons boost for nationals
Covid restrictions meant the games kept having to be postponed, eventually running in December 2022. This year, Freemasons Northland decided to help local athletes with the high cost of getting to Christchurch. The Kerikeri Lodge led the funding for Special Olympics Bay of Islands, and various lodges also helped fundraise for Special Olympics Whangārei, Cooper said. The Freemasons Charity of New Zealand also stepped in, resulting in $12,000 for the Bay of Islands athletes and $15,000 for the Whangārei athletes. For the Bay of Islands, the sponsorship will go a long way in reducing financial barriers, said team manager and chairwoman Suzy Newhouse. The swim club covered the area from Kawakawa to Cape Reinga, and it would cost $37,000 to send the team of 13 swimmers and support crew to Christchurch. Julia Plant is Special Olympics Whangārei assistant swimming coach. She had to stop swimming due to an injury but shares her knowledge with fellow athletes. Newhouse said the event would be life-changing and, for four of the swimmers, it would be their first trip away from home without their whānau. 'Our athletes come from one of the poorest areas in the country and are challenged, not only financially, but also in their ability to participate in healthy activity, form friendships, and gain a sense of belonging and achievement. 'People with intellectual disabilities have few opportunities to achieve their full potential and, by supporting the Special Olympics, we have proven that our team members can go on to gain full employment, participate in mainstream activities with confidence, and show they are no different to anyone else.' Martin Barrie, chairman of the Whangārei club, agreed that Special Olympics could be life-changing, instilling self-esteem and pride in the athletes. 'The national games are incredible - we celebrate every single person, whether they come in first or last.' Athletes from Special Olympics Bay of Islands won plenty of medals at the nationals in Hamilton in 2022 and 13 will compete in swimming again this year. Special Olympics Whangārei was led by athletes for the athletes, with many stepping up into coaching or managerial roles, he said. The club is sending 26 athletes from Whangārei and Kaipara to the nationals, competing in swimming, tenpin bowling, indoor bowls and athletics. Barrie said it would cost $86,000 to send the athletes and supporters to the nationals, with the Freemasons' support being a great start. The club's next fundraiser will be a country music concert at Kamo Club on July 27, featuring duo Annette and Kim, singer Dennis Marsh and a haka performance by some of the athletes. Tickets are available through Kamo Club. Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
Otago Daily Times
7 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
2026 Winter Games medals unveiled in Italy
A view of the medals for the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, unveiled in Venice yesterday. PHOTO: REUTERS Organisers of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics unveiled yesterday the medals that will be awarded to athletes during the Games next year. The medals have the traditional Olympic five-ring symbol on one side with an inscription on the reverse that details the event and commemorates the venue. The same format has been used for the Paralympics, which has its own distinct symbol. They were presented at a ceremony in Venice on Tuesday that featured two celebrated retired Italian athletes, swimmer Federica Pellegrini, and Francesca Porcellato, who has won gold medals at both Winter and Summer Paralympics. ''Each medal, whether Olympic or Paralympic, is a story etched into metal: it speaks of effort, determination, sacrifice, and the hopes of those who have lived to reach the podium,'' Giovanni Malago, president of the Milano-Cortina 2026 Foundation, said. The medals have been produced by the IPZS, the state mint, which is owned by the economy ministry. A total of 245 gold, 245 silver, and 245 bronze medals will be presented during the Winter Games. In the Paralympics, 137 medals will be awarded in each of the three rankings. Milan and the town of Cortina d'Ampezzo, one of Italy's most famous ski resorts, are the main hosts of the Games, which run from February 6 to 22 next year. The Paralympics will follow from March 6 to 15.
