Latest news with #NickiNicol
RNZ News
a day ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Interest in hosting Commonwealth Games 'unprecedented'
The closing ceremony at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games. Photo: Photosport New Zealand Olympic boss Nicki Nicol says the interest from countries in hosting future Commonwealth Games shows strong support for the future of the games. It is one year until the trimmed down games in Glasgow. The Scottish city came in late to save the event, following Victoria in Australia pulling out, saying they couldn't afford it. It will be a scaled-down games in Glasgow with only 10 sports, but Nicol said there is ''unprecedented interest'' in hosting the 2030 games. Five countries have confirmed their interest in bidding for 2030, while New Zealand and another country are eyeing the 2034 games. "It does show that the interest in hosting and for our athletes participating at the Commonwealth Games is still really strong," Nicol told RNZ. "We are in really good shape." Canada, India, Nigeria, and two countries yet to be named are in the picture for hosting in 2030. It's understood a decision will be made later this year on what country will host those games. "2034 is our ambition and we will be working really hard to bring that to life," Nicol said. The sports on show in Glasgow will be 3 X 3 basketball and wheelchair basketball, artistic gymnastics, athletics and para athletics, bowls and para bowls, boxing, judo, netball, swimming and para swimming, track cycling and para track cycling, and weightlifting and para powerlifting. Nicol said 70 percent of medals contested for at the Birmingham games in 2022 would be on offer in Glasgow. "It's still a substantial games, but it has been pared back, particularly in team sports, and we feel for hockey, sevens and cricketers," Nicol said. There were 19 sports at Birmingham. Nicol said that given the late change posed by Victoria's withdrawal, Glasgow has evolved the games model with a decision not to construct an athletes' village. Athletes instead will stay in hotels next to games venues. Nicol indicated Commonwealth Sports's intention was to return to a fuller sports programme at future games, while running them on a more economically sustainable basis than past events. The New Zealand team is marking the 'one year to go' until the Glasgow games with the launch of 'The Fern is all of Us' campaign at a cocktail party in Auckland tonight. 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 Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will also present the King's Baton to the New Zealand team. Nicol said 2026 was a big year for New Zealand sport, with the Winter Olympics in Italy in February and the Youth Olympics in Dakar in October and November, as well as the Commonwealth Games. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Scoop
a day ago
- Sport
- 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.
