Robert van Royen

Otago has sent a 32-strong group to the first regatta of the season, starting today at Lake Ruataniwha.

Do not be alarmed if you see an oyster or flamingo at Moana Pool over the next three days - it will just be a part of the national synchronised swimming championships.

Hamish Bond has given the biggest hint yet that next year's Rio Olympics will be the last time he and Eric Murray compete as a pair.

Kate Godfrey and Tame Govaerts were the pick of a golden bunch at the South Island championships in Dunedin.

Winter Games chief executive Arthur Klap has hailed this year's event as the best yet.

The track and field season starts at the Caledonian Ground tomorrow and will reach its climax when the national championships, which double as an Olympic qualifier, are held in Dunedin in March. While some Kiwis have already met Athletics New Zealand's notoriously tough qualifying standards for next year's Rio Olympics, many hopefuls are still battling. Sports reporter Robert van Royen takes a look at the standards.

Dunedin made a perfect start to the national championships in Wellington yesterday.

Dunedin runner Mel Aitken just keeps on winning.

Jessica Hamill made a record-breaking start to the track and field season at the Caledonian Ground on Saturday.

Dunedin captain Hapai Selby-Law will not settle for anything less than a top-eight finish in Wellington next week.

The winter grind is over and Doha is within reach.

Caden Shields could not turn down an opportunity to run in South Korea next weekend.

Some of Otago's most promising athletes graduated from their respective high performance programmes on Tuesday night.

Caitlin Deans and Cecilia Crooks are about to test themselves against some of Australia's best young swimmers.