Trinidad and Tobago's Leah Bertrand, Czech Republic's Karolina Manasova, New Zealand's Zoe Hobbs, Britain's Daryll Neita, Canada's Audrey Leduc, Jamaica's Tia Clayton, US' Twanisha Terry, Germany's Gina Lueckenkemper and Belgium's Delphine Nkansa take the start in the women's 100m semi-final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 3, 2024. Photo: ANTONIN THUILLIER / AFP
The minister for sport says he wants to bring more international athletics events to New Zealand.
Chris Bishop is in Paris for the Olympics and told First Up he is meeting International Association of Athletics Federation president Sebastian Coe to discuss bringing top events.
Lord Coe headed the organising of the London 2012 Olympics and is in his third and final term as head of IAAF.
"What we're hoping is that New Zealand could attract more sporting events, particularly in the athletics realm. So we are starting some conversations around that," Bishop told First Up's Nathan Rarere.
He has also met representatives of the Commonwealth Games Federation which is embroiled in trying to find a host for the 2026 Games after Victoria state in Australia pulled out. Earlier this year, the federation said it hoped to have a solution by May. Recent media reports have said it now hoped to make an announcement this month.
Minister for Sport Chris Bishop. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Bishop said there were "big questions" around where the Games would be held.
Asked about the New Zealand medal tally, Bishop said it had been a "really great start" for New Zealand, hoping more were to come in cycling, athletics, kayaking, and other sports.
"It comes after many years of investment by the government and sports over the years. But most fundamental of course is the effort of the athletes themselves who do extraordinary things on the world stage, and make New Zealand proud of them."
The government invests in sport through bodies like High Performance Sport NZ and Sport NZ. In 2024, $74 million was budgeted for High Performance Sport and $36m for Sport NZ. Most sports clubs are voluntary or community based.
High Performance Sport New Zealand would review the 2024 Olympic achievements and where it allocates funds in the months after Paris.
Bishop said it was inspiring to see so many New Zealanders excelling.
"It's about national pride. The Olympics is the pinnacle of sporting achievement.
"And for New Zealanders, seeing talented young New Zealanders competing on the world stage.
"There's some people out there who say government has no role in funding sport. But the reality is almost every country at the Olympics will be investing quite heavily in high performance sport and so if we want to compete - to get our athletes to a good starting point and give them support in administration or training or mental skills - then there's a role for government there."
