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millennium institute of sPort & health news
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1 - Nicki Hamblyn. 2 - Glenn Snyders. 3 - Daniel Bell. 4 - Brent Newdick. 5 - Relay Team. 6 - Sevens Team. 7 - Men’s Hockey Team. 8 - Sam Michael Webster. 9 - Women’s Hockey Team. 10 - Valerie Adams. 11 - Silver Ferns.
Good siGns For FuTure in perFormance oF YounG aTHleTes Millennium Institute CEO Mike Stanley believes New Zealand’s 36-medal haul at the Delhi Commonwealth Games bodes well for the future. “Sure, everyone would have liked to have seen us win more gold medals. But I think we can be very proud of the team’s efforts – and there are good signs in the number of young people who achieved so well. “The performance of young athletes in sports like cycling, swimming and athletics in particular, was very encouraging.” Also heartened to see so many young
– i.e. rowing, sailing, equestrian, triathlon. Commenting on the Games overall, Mike felt they ‘exceeded expectations’. Heavily involved – as President of New Zealand’s Olympic committee – in the lastminute negotiations to ensure the Games went ahead, he says a number of problems were highlighted in the lead-up to the Games which had taken ‘extraordinary measures’ to overcome. “Once the Indian Government understood the magnitude of the problem they certainly pulled out all stops to put
We can be very proud of the team’s efforts – and there are good signs in the number of young people who achieved so well. athletes associated with the Millennium Institute on the podium, Mike says that in looking ahead to New Zealand’s London 2012 Olympic prospects we need to remember there are a number of sports where New Zealand is strong that weren’t on the Delhi Commonwealth Games programme
things right with the two main areas of concern – the village and the transport system. “As the Games went on the organisation got more efficient and it was also good to see the event becoming more popular with the locals.”
issue 5 - november 2010 www.channelmag.co.nz
unprecedenTed medal Haul For baYs couGars’ aTHleTes Members of North Harbour Bays Athletics are over the moon with the success of their club representatives at the Delhi Commonwealth Games. Club vice-president Dave Norris says the four medals won on the track by club members Nicki Hamblin (two silvers in the 800m and 1500m); Andrea Miller (bronze in the 100m hurdles); and Brent Newdick (silver in the decathlon) were ‘unprecedented’. “We had high hopes for those who were selected – because they had to be ranked in the top six in their event to even make the New Zealand team. But we understood how difficult it was going to be, not only with the elite level of competition but also coping with the heat and humidity and we didn’t dare dream of four medals.” “We’re delighted for them,” he says. “And also very proud of the great efforts by Monique Williams and Adrian Blincoe in making it through to the finals of their events.” Describing Nicki Hamblin’s 800m-1500m double as ‘world class’, Dave says her performance in finishing one step behind the Olympic champion in the 800 metres was outstanding.