New Zealand leads 100 days to Paris 2024 celebrations
As the first country in the world to see the sun, New Zealand became the first National Olympic Committee to celebrate 100 days until the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday (17 April) with a special dawn ceremony on the waterfront in Auckland.
The festivities began with local Māori iwi (tribe) Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei performing a traditional welcome as invited athletes and guests placed a native fern frond into a basket that was then put in the ocean. The gesture recognises the fern as a national symbol and how it will guide the NZ Team to Paris in the same way it guided the country's ancestors.
Kiwi weightlifter David Liti, who is preparing for his second Games, felt the significance of the occasion.
“This is the final leg,” the Commonwealth Games 2018 champion told Olympics.com. “It’s been a long 18 months trying to qualify for this Olympics and to be 100 days out is just over 100 (training) sessions so it’s exciting.
“It’s an honour to be here with some of the athletes going to Paris and to see the cloak. It’s such a privilege that not many get to do and I’m really happy to be one of them."
The cloak named Te Māhutonga will be worn by the flagbearers in the Opening Ceremony on 26 July, and was passed from the Winter Olympic team to their Summer Olympic counterpart.
“It’s incredibly special,” Pairs rower Dan Williamson said. “You feel the power of the New Zealand team here this morning.
“First in the world to see the sun today and celebrate 100 days to go, so hopefully that means we will be first to cross the line in Paris too.
“Being here today makes it all feel a bit more real. This is years in the making and a lot of work has gone in and it’s exciting to be able to put that to work soon."
Seven-time 100m sprint national champion Zoe Hobbs was also among the athletes who gathered to mark the milestone.
“I’ve been working towards competing in the Olympics since I was a young kid,” Hobbs said. “It’s always been a dream, so it’s feeling closer and closer to reality.”
“It’s been 21 years of working towards achieving this but I’m just trying to make the most of time. Time is gold."
The Kiwi athletics star is set to make history by becoming the first female sprinter from New Zealand to race in the Olympic 100m in nearly 50 years.
“I missed out on the world champs final last year by 0.01 and the world indoors, missed out on a medal by 0.01 so if I could make the final then see what happens. Anything could happen,” she said.
Having won trampoline bronze at Tokyo 2020, Dylan Schmidt is excited for the challenge ahead.
“This is the business end. I’ve just got back from the last qualifiers, so no more serious competitions until Paris,” he said.
The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games champion is no stranger to Games success.
“Training is very focused and dialled in. Things are going well so it’s a good time to lock in and enjoy it and also take a breath and enjoy the process,” said Schmidt.
Approximately 185 athletes are expected to represent New Zealand across 22 sports at the Olympic Games from 26 July to 11 August.