Otago Daily Times: Beijing Olympics

Olympics: VIPs urged to use public transport

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 05:27:00 +1300

London Mayor Boris Johnson yesterday urged Olympic dignitaries to take public transport during the Games rather than chauffeur-driven limousines on specially designated lanes, to help avoid raising the ire of log-jammed Britons.

Olympics: Patience, beer keys to surviving Games

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:07:49 +1300

Olympic organizers have some travel advice for the millions of people who work and live in London: Be patient. Have a beer. Work from home.

Olympics: Games organisers backtrack over baby boob

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:18:36 +1300

Organizers of the 2012 London Olympics say they will consider options for new mothers who want to bring their babies into venues, after some parents complained that they have to buy full price tickets for their infants.

Olympics: Ice hockey medal skates by

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 05:27:00 +1300

Queenstown teenager Callum Burns has gone close to a medal at the inaugural Youth Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

Olympics: Call for shearing to be Games event

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 19:37:17 +1300

It might drive sporting traditionalists baa-rmy, but Kiwi farming advocates are pushing for shearing to become an Olympic event.

Olympics: Honour of bearing flag given to Wells

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:27:00 +1300

Wanaka freeskier Beau-James Wells was to lead the New Zealand team out at the Winter Youth Olympics in Austria this morning.

Olympics: Games oversold after ticketing glitch

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 08:22:44 +1300

A ticketing mix-up by London Olympic organizers will pay off for some buyers: instead of tickets for synchronized swimming, they'll get to see the 100m final.

Curling captain chosen to carry flag

Alistair McMurran — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:25:00 +1300

With the 2012 London Olympics just around the corner, we thought we would look back at some of our favourite Olympic moments. Today, Otago Daily Times sports reporter Alistair McMurran looks at curling skip Sean Becker at the 2006 Turin Winter Games.

Olympic Games dream just a heartbeat away

Marjorie Cook — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:26:00 +1300

Six months ago, Olympic hopeful Nicky Samuels (28), of Wanaka, took a calculated risk to take a quick break in her triathlon programme and return to New Zealand for heart surgery to correct arrhythmia. It didn't work. Now, as the clock ticks down to the final Olympic qualifying race in Sydney next April, Samuels is lining up for more surgery. Marjorie Cook reports.

Adams' glorious night in Beijing

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 05:25:00 +1300

With the 2012 London Olympics just around the corner, we thought we would look back at some of our favourite Olympic moments. Raylene Bates has two favourite memories - one in which she was heavily involved and the other when she just a youngster, watching from afar.

My favourite Olympic moment: Halberg's courage rewarded in Rome

Thu, 29 Dec 2011 05:25:00 +1300

With the 2012 London Olympics just around the corner, we thought we would look back at some of our favourite Olympic moments. Today, Ron Palenski, author and New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame chief executive, looks at Murray Halberg's 5000m win at the 1960 Rome Games.

Olympics: Windsurfing champion misses out on London Games

Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:45:03 +1300

Reigning Olympic men's windsurfing champion Tom Ashley has missed selection in the New Zealand team for next year's London Games.

Olympics: Britain doubles up on Games security

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 11:46:32 +1300

Britain will have up to 13,500 troops deployed on land, at sea and in the skies to help protect next summer's Olympics - twice as many as had been expected.

Olympics: London risks breaking Games budget

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:03:39 +1300

London is in danger of exceeding its 9.3 billion pound ($NZ18.6b) budget for the 2012 Olympics unless rigorous action is taken to curb costs, Britain's spending watchdog says.

Olympics: Havelange resigns from IOC

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:21:19 +1300

Former FIFA President Joao Havelange has resigned from the International Olympic Committee days before an ethics hearing into his conduct, the BBC reported.

Cup shows NZ could host Olympics: IOC head

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:51:28 +1300

New Zealand is not too small to host an Olympic Games, the head of the International Olympic Committee says.

Team welcome, funds to boost Christchurch sport

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 05:26:00 +1200

Christchurch and its sportspeople have been given a lift by the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Olympics: NZOC signs agreement with Russia

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 15:57:19 +1200

The New Zealand Olympic Committee has signed a memorandum of understanding with Russia, which signals a commitment to connect the two countries through sport and the Olympic movement.

Olympics: Six Kiwis already qualified for games

Alistair McMurran — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 04:56:00 +1200

The athletics qualifying standards for the London Olympics have been announced and it points to a large team being sent to London.

Olympics: Ski half-pipe included in 2014 Winter Games

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 16:16:00 +1200

New Zealand winter sports have received a boost today with the inclusion of ski half-pipe on the programme for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

Olympics: 'Massive' interest tipped in Games as tickets go on sale

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 10:03:49 +1300

Sebastian Coe is predicting massive demand when tickets go on sale to mark the 500-day countdown to next year's Olympics, another milestone in the multi-billion-dollar project that is changing the face of east London.

Sport funding: Sparc targeting London Olympics

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:17:22 +1300

Rowing, cycling, equestrian and paralympics sports are the biggest improvers in the latest round of annual sports funding allocation announced by Sport and Recration New Zealand (Sparc) while question marks hang over swimming and canoeing.

Sports passion pays dividends

Steve Hepburn — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:57:00 +1300

It is a long way from the playing fields of Clinton Primary School but it is still about sport for Kereyn Smith.

Dunedin woman appointed NZ's Olympic boss

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 14:03:41 +1300

Newly appointed New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary-general Kereyn Smith, of Dunedin, will start her role early next year with her sleeves rolled up to tackle preparations for the 2012 London Olympics.

Olympics: Overflow accommodation needed in London

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +1300

Some members of New Zealand's cycling team will not be staying in the athletes' village at the 2012 London Olympics - not that there are any New Delhi-style concerns over snakes, faulty plumbing and stray dogs padding over mattresses.

Youth Olympics: NZ triathletes bag second medal

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:08:00 +1200

The New Zealand team has won its second medal of the Youth Olympic Games, combining with Australia to bag a silver medal in the teams triathlon race at Singapore.

Olympics: NZOC dismisses bribery claim

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:52:00 +1200

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) has dismissed allegations from an Indian politician that it accepted a $136,000 bribe to give New Delhi hosting rights for the Commonwealth Games in October.

Olympics: London unveils one-eyed mascots

Thu, 20 May 2010 11:17:51 +1200

They're not furry animals, neither male nor female and have no cutesy names.

NZ Olympic Committee head resigns

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 17:08:26 +1200

New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) secretary general Barry Maister today announced his retirement after 10 years in the position.

Special Olympics: Pair chosen for leadership scheme

Alistair McMurran — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +1300

Two Otago athletes, Matt Aitken (Dunedin) and Crystal Frethey (Balclutha), have been selected in Special Olympics New Zealand's first athlete leadership programme.

Skiing: Illness forces Calder to withdraw

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 20:32:00 +1300

New Zealand cross country skier Katie Calder has withdrawn from the Winter Olympics 30km mass start in Canada tomorrow.

Speed Skating: Skjellerup 16th in 1000m

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:38:00 +1300

New Zealander Blake Skjellerup struggled for pace in the 1000m short track speed skating at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver today, placing fourth and last in his fast-paced quarterfinal to finish 16th overall.

Vancouver Games officials confident Cypress Mt ready

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 10:22:00 +1300

Vancouver Olympic officials are confident concerns about the warm weather's affect on conditions at Cypress Mountain soon will be forgotten.

NZ looking for top-ten placings at Olympics

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +1300

The New Zealand contingent is raring to hit the ice, snow and slopes with top-ten finishes in their sights at the Winter Olympics kicking off in Vancouver on Friday.

Olympics: Vancouver has everything but snow as village opens

Adrian Seconi — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:00:00 +1300

New Zealand's 16-strong Winter Olympics squad is highly regarded but medals might be as hard to find as snow at the bottom of Cypress Mountain, Dunedin-based national performance director Ashley Light says.

NZ biathlete confirmed for Vancouver

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:57:41 +1300

New Zealand will send its first biathlete to the Olympic Winter Games after Canadian-based New Zealander Sarah Murphy was confirmed in the team this morning.

Olympics: Otago trio selected for Vancouver Games

Marjorie Cook — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +1300

Queenstown skiers Michelle Greig (21) and Tim Cafe (22) and Dunedin skeleton racer Toinette Stoddard (30) have been confirmed as members of the New Zealand Winter Olympics team to travel to Vancouver next month.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee yesterday confirmed 10 athletes in the team, with further announcements regarding snowboarders to be made early next week.

First athletes named for Olympics

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:56:00 +1300

The first members of the New Zealand Olympic team to compete in Vancouver next month have been named.

Winter Olympics: NZ team undecided three weeks out from Olympics

Online ODT — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 15:04:00 +1300

With the Winter Olympics less than a month away, New Zealand is yet to name the team that will represent the country in Vancouver.

Olympics: NZ team finalised next week

Marjorie Cook — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 05:00:00 +1300

New Zealand hopes to send a team of between 15 and 18 athletes to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next month but cannot announce who will definitely go until next week, after overseas sports bodies finalise national quotas.

Olympics: Melville to shape halfpipe for Games

Matthew Haggart — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:59:00 +1300

Wanaka man John Melville has been chosen to help build the Winter Olympics halfpipe in Vancouver in February.

Rugby, golf return to Olympics

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:52:33 +1300

After more than a century on the sidelines, golf will return to the Olympics at the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro. Rugby, last played in 1924, is coming back as well.

Taekwondo: Brothel owner violating Olympic ideals, NZOC says

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 22:16:47 +1300

An athlete's plans to finance his 2012 Olympic Games bid from proceeds of an Auckland brothel may be doomed.

Olympics : Special numbers come up for Otago Olympians

Adrian Seconi — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 05:00:00 +1200

World champion cyclist Alison Shanks has a new favourite number - 1085.

Olympics: IOC busts drug cheats

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 15:10:00 +1200

The IOC's pursuit of drug cheats has paid off after six Olympic athletes - including two medalists - were busted for blood doping in retests of their Beijing samples.

ONOC's Gosper stands aside after 20 years' work

Adrian Seconi — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:00:00 +1300

Oceania National Olympic Committee [ONOC] president Kevan Gosper stepped down after 20 years of service at the organisation's annual meeting in Queenstown yesterday.

Olympics: Big four take floor to put their cases

Adrian Seconi — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 05:00:00 +1300

It was a little like show and tell at school on a Monday morning only billions of dollars were at stake and everyone was wearing a suit.

Chicago Games bid comes with a twist

Adrian Seconi — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 05:00:00 +1300

Olympic wrestling bronze medallist Bill Scherr has been grappling with a sizeable problem for the past two years.

Olympics: Australian Youth Olympics NZ team named

Thu, 27 Nov 2008 11:58:36 +1300

Nearly 140 young New Zealanders were today named to compete in next year's Australian Youth Olympic Festival.

Olympics: Irish rider disqualified

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 14:56:00 +1300

Irish rider Denis Lynch was officially disqualified today from the Beijing Olympics equestrian events for a positive drug test on his horse.