Year 12 Mt Aspiring College student Luke Harrold has been selected to compete in the February 2026 Milan Winter Olympics, a goal he has worked hard to achieve.
"The process has been pretty intense," he said.
"Been training super hard and working almost every day to make it and to get the selection has been amazing."
As a freeskier he is currently set to compete in the Men’s Freestyle Skiing — Halfpipe.
Luke is not only excited to take part in the Olympics but is also hoping to bring home a medal.
Achieving this dream has been a journey full of sacrifices. Luke said over the last year, as he trained to qualify for the Olympic games, he missed a lot of school and gave up time with friends and family.
This was mainly to travel for training around the country and some overseas. His most recent adventures had been to the Thredbo Ski Resort in Australia and the Saas-Fee valley in Switzerland.
"I was training in the halfpipe," he said.
". . . that was my first time going to those two resorts so it was really awesome. Always cool exploring new places and getting trained there."
He said his dad was one of his biggest role models and supporters, having stood by his side throughout his journey without putting pressure on him.
"From a young age, he’s always been pushing me to do the best I can and have as much fun as possible along the way," Luke said.
His hard work was clear in his achievements over the last couple of years.
At the age of 15 he became the youngest New Zealand freeskier to achieve a World Cup podium, in December 2023.
At the 2025 FIS Park & Pipe World Championships he made history by becoming the first person to ever land a triple corked rotation in a freeski halfpipe competition, finishing in fourth place overall.
As busy as the past year has been, in many ways the hard work has only just begun as the young skier has to intensify his training as he prepares for the Olympics.
He is currently completing the last week of spring camp at Cardrona before he gets into his gym training over the upcoming weeks.
His first training of the Olympic year will take place from the beginning of November in Kitzsteinhorn in Austria for a two-week training camp.
He then has the Freestyle Skiing World Cup competition in China, a qualifying event for the Olympics held before Christmas.
Luke was also one of two class act recipients in Mt Aspiring College this year.
