Six Month Countdown Underway

Media Release

8th February 2008

Six Month Countdown Underway

Today (ed. 8 Feb) marks the start of the six month countdown to the Beijing Olympic Games. As the August 8 approaches the New Zealand Olympic Team is increasing its focus on creating an environment at Beijing to promote high performance.

Currie and his team are preparing for a final visit to Beijing this month to finalize the location of the New Zealand accommodation in the Olympic Village. In a village designed to house 16,000 athletes from around the world securing a private and convenient spot for 200 New Zealanders is core to the unique environment the New Zealand Olympic Team wishes to create.

“Providing an inspirational environment that gives athletes the resources to give it their all on the world stage is what we’re about. We’re going to work very hard to ensure we’ve got the right physical and emotional environment to ensure this happens.”

An intensive schedule of meetings with sport administrators continues as the NZOC prepares to meet each discipline’s individual requirements for Beijing.

“Each sport is very different,” explains Currie. “We need to manage their needs for support staff, freight, multiple arrival dates and a complex competition schedule. Getting horses, boats, and other equipment as well the athletes to China is not a simple task, particularly as most teams will acclimatizing outside New Zealand. In addition athletes at the Olympic Games will be based in Beijing, Hong Kong and Qingdao as well as four other cities for the football competition.

The New Zealand Olympic Team to Beijing 2008 currently comprises 11 athletes. In the coming six months this number will grow to approximately 160.

The final athlete selection announcement is expected on July 23rd, just 16 days ahead of the start of the Olympic Games.

The New Zealand Olympic Team to Beijing will also include support staff, high performance managers, coaches and medical professionals.

- Ends -

© Scoop Media