October 2024,

HPSNZ Update October 2024

From the Chief Executive 

Kia ora tātou, 

Having had some time to reflect on the outstanding achievements of Kiwi athletes in Paris and what the learnings from those campaigns might be, it is apparent that we are not only in a golden era of New Zealand sport but also at a critical point in terms of where to from here.

If we look back over the past few cycles, a couple of learnings stand out. New Zealand’s challenge after Rio 2016 was to do a better job of converting the 4th to 8th places into podium finishes, to take our results to the next level.

Our takeout from the Tokyo cycle, setting aside the unique COVID-enforced circumstances, was that targeted campaigns win medals and the high performance sport system’s role is to support those campaigns.

The shift to this focus certainly paid off in the Paris cycle. We worked with NSOs to help build their targeted campaigns, challenged them without getting in the way, and supported their athletes, coaches and environments.

Paris was an example of the high performance sport system in this country working well and delivering a return on investment for the mahi of the last three years and the learnings of the last decade.

Now we sit at a critical point where the challenge is to avoid the winning colouring the learnings, and understanding what has worked, being brave about our learnings. We must build on these evolutions and our inherent competitive advantages of connectedness and collaboration. HPSNZ is looking forward to hearing about these NSO plans during the investment meetings this month. This is an important part of our partner process as we set ourselves up for both the LA and Brisbane cycles.

We will now turn our more immediate attention to supporting Snow Sports NZ and their campaigns into the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in Milano Cortina.

In this HPSNZ Update we reflect further on Paris with insights from Raylene Bates on the successful Para athletics campaigns at the Paralympic Games. We also talk to Sport New Zealand’s Kelly James about his role as cultural advisor to the NZ Paralympic Team in Paris. 

We’ve had the opportunity to launch our HPSNZ 2025-2028 Strategic Plan to NSOs, peak bodies and athlete representative groups: here is a link to that Strategic Plan if you have yet to see it.  

The Strategic Plan is effectively a blueprint for how we will work with NSOs to support their athletes, coaches and environments over the next four years. It’s based on consultation across the sector to capture the learnings of the past three years and evolve our approach, as we strive to repeat the remarkable success of Paris.

Ngā mihi
Raelene 

Prime Minister’s Scholarship interns share experiences

woman rowing on water

Rower Catherine Layburn

A woman rugby player running with the ball

Black Ferns Sevens’ Shiray Kaka

With applications for the fourth year of Prime Minister’s Scholarship Internships due to close on 31 October, two current interns shared their experiences.  

Rower Catherine Layburn and Black Ferns Sevens player Shiray Kaka had both expected to be Paris bound but when that dream disappeared, both found distraction in their respective Prime Minister’s Scholarship internship. 

Continue Reading…

Para athletics Paris success unpacked

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Athletics NZ national Para Lead Raylene Bates with Paris shot put bronze medallist, Holly Robinson

A successful programme over a number of years is being credited with the success of the Kiwi Para athletics team in Paris.  

One gold, three silver and two bronze medals from the six strong Para athletics team made it New Zealand’s most successful Para sport at the Paralympic Games.  

National Para Lead for Athletics NZ, Raylene Bates, who was also the New Zealand Paralympic Team Chef de Mission in Paris, says the team’s success was a direct result of a programme which has developed a strong group of seasoned competitors through a focus on decentralisation, upskilling coaches to understand the classification system and the differences between coaching Para athletes and able-bodied athletes and ensuring they work with the right athletes. 

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Cultural advisory role at Paralympics a first

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Sport New Zealand Group Kāhui Rautaki Māori Pou Tuarā, Kelly James, had the distinction of being the New Zealand Paralympic Team’s first ever cultural advisor when he joined them in Paris.  

The opportunity to have a cultural adviser and cultural elements within the New Zealand Paralympic Team environment has been a desire of Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) for a number of years and the decision to take a cultural advisor was made just months ahead of the Paralympics, but was significant for the Team.   

With a role that was organic and evolutionary, PNZ Head of Games and Sport Delivery, Lynette Grace , says Kelly’s contribution was an outstanding success and widely embraced by Paralympians and the Team Support Staff alike. 

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Insight to Impact programme supports HPDs

High Performance Directors from eight sports are taking part in HSPNZ’s new Insight to Impact programme which began earlier this month.  

The programme has been developed to support NSO High Performance Directors (HPDs) in recognition of their critical role in the success of New Zealand’s high performance sport system.  

HPSNZ General Manager Wellbeing and Leadership Emily Downes says HPDs are critical to driving the performance environment, empowering high performance teams, and ensuring the right systems are in place for success.   

“They are the people who lay the foundations for athletes, coaches and support staff to have the best possible opportunity to perform on the world stage when it matters most.” 

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HPSNZ 2025-2028 Strategic Plan launched

2 women rowing

Evolution rather than revolution is the description of the HPSNZ 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, published this month.  

HPSNZ Director of High Performance Steve Tew says there are no surprises because this 2025-2028 Strategic Plan marks phase two of the three phase delivery of the 2032 High Performance System Strategy.  

“The outstanding results in Paris and the way the performances of Kiwis athletes at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, both in and out of competition, resonated with New Zealanders shows us that our high performance sport system is moving in the right direction.”  

The strategic plan outlines how HPSNZ will continue to work in partnership with NSOs to support their athletes, coaches and environments.  

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2025 Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships applications due

Applications for HPSNZ’s 2025 Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships open on 1 November, as the high performance athlete education programme heads into its 25th year.

Launched by the New Zealand Government in 2000 (with the first recipients taking up their Athlete Scholarships in 2001), the programme was established to invest in educational opportunities, supporting athletes to develop holistically in ways that contribute towards their post-athletic career, while enabling them to reach or continue to reach their potential in high performance sport.

Head of High Performance Investment, Chris McCarthy, says the programme is world leading for Government investment into supporting high performance athletes with their education.

“In the most recent 2022-2024 Investment Cycle leading into the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, nearly 1,000 athlete scholarships were awarded to high performance athletes, from new HP athletes starting out on their journeys in sport and life, to more established HP athletes starting to move towards what is next when they retire from elite sport” says Chris.

“This represents an investment of more than $6 million in the last three years alone, and includes Athlete Gold Scholarships, an additional category of scholarship which can be earned through podium success at pinnacle events.”

Over the years scholarships have been awarded to athletes to study a wide range of tertiary qualifications from university degrees through to specialised short course workshops.

Applications will close at 12pm on Friday 29 November.

For information and how to apply: https://hpsnz.org.nz/funding-and-investment/prime-ministers-scholarships/#PMAS

Prime Minister's Scholarships Logo

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