MEDIA RELEASE FROM THE NZ ACADEMY OF SPORT SOUTH ISLAND
Talent Development Academy
Promising young South Island athletes have more opportunity to realise their dreams of representing New Zealand on the
world stage.
Applications are now open for next year’s NZ Academy of Sport South Island (ASI) Talent Xcelerator programmes across
three South Island regions, run from Invercargill, Dunedin and Christchurch.
The ASI has further aligned its regional talent development programmes for next year, in an effort to produce even more
South Island athletes capable of winning on the national and international stage.
‘Talent Xcelerator’ has now been added to the existing names of its three current talent development programmes -
Academy Canterbury, Academy Otago and Academy Southland.
ASI Programme Manager Martyn Croy explained these programmes will continue to offer significant assistance to the
development of regional talent. “Bringing the three programmes under the Talent Xcelerator “umbrella” allows us to even
better fast-track athletes on a performance pathway, increasing their understanding and preparedness for what it takes
to be a high performance athlete.”
ASI has already seen success in all three of its talent development initiatives since each started, with several
current and graduate athletes from the respective South Island programmes emerging nationally and achieving
international results, including Jessica Hamill who represented New Zealand in athletics at the Beijing Paralympics
Up-and-coming Academy Canterbury athletes include Sophia Fenwick and Ellen Halpenny (netball), Ruaraidh McLeod and
Elizabeth Steele (cycling), Nick Haig and Andy Hayward (hockey), Ali Burnside (rowing), David Ambler, Angie Smit, Hannah
Newbold (athletics).
Academy Southland names to watch for include Eddie Dawkins and Tom Scully (cycling), Natalie Wiegersma (swimming), and
Anna Rankin and James Eunson (badminton).
The two year programmes provide young athletes with support and services to bridge the gap between promising young
sportspersons and the standards required at New Zealand’s high performance level. These programmes specifically targets
athletes not currently supported through their own National Sporting Organisation’s high performance programmes.
Each of the three regional programmes draws on considerable local support and investment, particularly from the
Community Trust of Southland, the Otago Community Trust, and The Canterbury Community Trust.
Athletes are selected for inclusion each year on current performance and potential, their ranking, and their future
ability to achieve at the highest level within their sport.
ends
Sent by Claire Grant on behalf of the New Zealand Academy of Sport South Island (NZAS SI)
Phone 03-489-4471 claire@clairewords.co.nz.
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