This page looks at Olympians with a local Canterbury connection.
2024 Paris Olympics
The 2024 Paris Olympic Games take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024.
Competitors
- Olivia Brett - Christchurch - Canoeing
- Maddie Davidson - Christchurch - Trampoline
- Victoria Esson - ChristchFootball
- Tayla Ford - Christchurch - Wrestling
- Macey Fraser - Rangiora - Football
- Hamish Kerr Athletics
- Sam Lane - Temuka - Hockey
- Jorja Miller - Timaru - Rugby sevens
- Meikayla Moore - Christchurch - Football
- Charlie Morrison Hockey
- Joe Morrison Hockey
- Laurence Pithie - Christchurch - Cycling
- Tim Price - Rangiora - Equestrian
- Gabrielle Rennie - Christchurch - Football
- Lucy Spoors - Christchurch - Rowing
- Phoebe Spoors - Christchurch - Rowing
- Matthew Sheridan - Christchurch - Football
- Finn Surman - Christchurch - Football
- Kate Taylor - Christchurch - Football
- Taiko Torepe-Ormsby - Christchurch - Swimming
- Chloe Tipple - Christchurch - Shooting
- Davina Waddy - Christchurch - Rowing
- Tom Walsh - Timaru - Shot put
- Simon Yorston - Christchurch - Hockey
2024 Paris Paralympics
The 2024 Paris Paralympics are on 28 August to 8 September 2024.
- Scott Martlew - Christchurch - Canoeing
- Greg Reid - Christchurch - Shooting
- William Stedman - Christchurch - Athletics
Paralympian Graham Condon
Graham Condon won a total of 36 medals, including seven golds in his Paralympic career.
His life ended tragically in 2007 when he was struck by a car while riding his hand-propelled bicycle.
The Graham Condon Recreation and Sport Centre in Papanui was named in his honour.
1910-1920
See his profile on the NZ Olympic Committee website.
1930-1940
Jack Lovelock grew up in South Canterbury and was a doctor, athlete, military man and journalist. Fellow Timaru Boys’ High student Graeme Woodfield has written one of the most comprehensive biographies of the man who won gold in the mile race at Berlin in 1936.
Four years earlier Cyril Stiles, known as Bob, and Fred ‘Rangi’ Thompson won silver in Los Angeles in 1932. This was New Zealand's first Olympic rowing medal. Thompson, according to the his profile on the NZ Olympic Committee site, worked at Wilson Tanneries in Woolston, lost his arm in an industrial accident, and later became a greengrocer in High Street. Both men continued their association with the Avon Club staying active in the sport as coaches, and the boat they won the silver medal in, Tui, remains in the clubs rooms.
1950-1960
Peter Mander and Jack Cropp both lived in the eastern suburbs of Christchurch and were New Zealand’s first yachting representatives. They won gold at Melbourne in 1956 after a French protest led to the disqualification of the Australian team.
1960-1970
Valerie Sloper (Young) represented New Zealand at Tokyo in 1964 and also had tremendous Commonwealth Games success. She was born in Ashburton.
Boxer Brian Maunsell also went to the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Ian Ballinger won 1968 Olympic bronze in Mexico in smallbore shooting. He was 43, and the teams oldest member. The country’s most famous shooter later opened a firearms store in Christchurch.
1970-1980
Rowers Athol Earl and John Hunter were gold medal winners in Munich in 1972, and Earl won bronze in Montreal in 1976. Hunter attended the 1968 Olympics and also was later an official for the New Zealand rowing team.
Lindsay Wilson of Methven also shared Olympic glory, as did Gary Robertson. Robertson had a stint in Christchurch as a rubbish collector and as Rangi Ruru rowing coach. He was born in Oamaru. Robertson was instrumental in setting up the rowing club at the Rangi Ruru and has seen Rangi Ruru become the powerhouse of national schoolgirls’ rowing.
In 1976, hockey players Barry Maister and Selwyn Maister won gold at Montreal along with Paul Ackerley, Arthur Borren, John Christensen, and Tony Ineson. All of these men played for the University club. Alan Chesney played for Harewood.
Annelise Coberger was the first person from the Southern Hemisphere to win a medal at the Winter Olympics. She took silver in the slalom at Albertville in France in 1992. She also won several World Cup podium places.
1980 -1990
Neroli Fairhall was an Olympian archer in Los Angeles in 1984 and a Paralympian who competed in several games. She won the gold in the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games.
Chris Timms won a yachting gold in 1984 and silver in 1988 with Nelson’s Rex Sellers.
2000 - 2012
Donna Wilkins (formerly Loffhagen) is best-known as a Silver Fern netballer, but she has represented New Zealand at Olympic level in basketball.
Cyclist Hayden Roulston won the silver medal in the men’s 4000m individual pursuit and a bronze medal in the men’s 4000m team pursuit.
2012 London Olympics
Medal winners
Double scull rowers Nathan Cohen and Joseph Sullivan of Christchurch won the gold medals.
Competitors
- Sophia Batchelor – Christchurch – Swimming
- Shane Archbold – Timaru – Track Cycling
- Lauren Ellis – Ashburton – Track Cycling
- Jo Kiesnowski – Christchurch – Track and Road Cycling
- Eve MacFarlane – Christchurch – Rowing
- Matthew Trott – Christchurch – Rowing
- Kris Gemmell – Christchurch – Triathlon
- Andrea Hewitt – Christchurch – Triathlon
- Bradley Shaw – Christchurch – Hockey
- Marc Ryan – Timaru – Cycling
- Ryan Nelsen – Christchurch – Football
2012 London Paralympics
Medal winners
Sophie Pascoe from Christchurch won 3 gold and 3 silver medals in swimming. Laura Thompson also from Christchurch won a gold, a silver, and a bronze medal in para cycling.
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics
The Rio de Janeiro games took place from 5 to 21 August 2016 in Brazil.
Medal winners
Natalie Rooney of Waimate won silver in women's trap shooting and Tom Walsh of Timaru won bronze in the men's shot put.
Competitors
- Sophie Cocks - Christchurch - Hockey
- Sam Dickson - Christchurch - Rugby Sevens
- Lauren Ellis – Ashburton – Track Cycling
- Pippa Hayward - Christchurch - Hockey
- Andrea Hewitt – Christchurch – Triathlon
- Matthew Hutchins - Lincoln - Swimming
- Dylan Kennett - Christchurch - Track Cycling
- Olivia Merry - Christchurch - Hockey
- Eve MacFarlane – Christchurch – Rowing
- Courtney McGregor - Christchurch - Gymnastics
- Meikayla Moore - Christchurch - Football
- Angie Petty - Rangiora - Running
- Olivia Podmore - Christchurch - Track Cycling
- Grace Prendergast - Christchurch - Rowing
- Tim Price - Rangiora - Equestrian
- Hayden Roulston - Ashburton - Track Cycling
- Bradley Shaw – Christchurch – Hockey
- Blair Tarrant - Timaru - Hockey
- Chloe Tipple - Christchurch - Shooting
- Francie Turner - Christchurch - Rowing
2016 Rio de Janeiro Paralympics
Medal winners
Sophie Pascoe from Christchurch won 3 gold and 2 silver medals. William Stedman also from Christchurch won 2 bronze medals in athletics. Laura Thompson from Christchurch won a silver and and a bronze medal in para cycling.
Competitors
- Scott Martlew - Christchurch - Canoeing
- Andrew May - Christchurch - Sailing
- Greg Reid - Christchurch - Shooting
2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics
The Pyeonchang winter games took place 9 to 25 February 2018 in South Korea.
Competitors
- Carlos Garcia Knight - Christchurch - Snowboarding
- Jamie Prebble - Christchurch - Skiing
2020 Tokyo Olympics
The Tokyo games took place 23 July to 9 August 2021 in Japan and was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Medal winners
Grace Prendergast from Christchurch won gold in the women's coxless pairs and silver in the women's eight in rowing. She was joined in the latter win by Christchurch teammates Ella Greenslade and Lucy Spoors. Also in rowing Sam Bosworth from Waipara won gold as the cox in the men's eight. Amanaki Nicole was part of the silver winning men's rugby sevens team. And Tom Walsh from Timaru claimed bronze in the men's shot put.
Competitors
- Lauren Bruce - Timaru - Hammer throw
- David Brydon - Christchurch - Hockey
- Tom Burns - Christchurch - Taekwondo
- Anton Cooper - Christchurch - Mountain biking
- Maddie Davidson - Christchurch - Trampoline
- Sam Lane - Temuka - Hockey
- Olivia Loe - Christchurch - Rowing
- Jack Lopas - Christchurch - Rowing
- Eve MacFarlane – Christchurch – Rowing
- Olivia Merry - Christchurch - Hockey
- Meikayla Moore - Christchurch - Football
- Tim Price - Rangiora - Equestrian
- Gabrielle Rennie - Christchurch - Football
- Natalie Rooney - Waimate - Shooting
- Blair Tarrant - Timaru - Hockey
- Chloe Tipple - Christchurch - Shooting
2020 Tokyo Paralympics
The 2020 Tokyo Paralympics were on 24 August to 5 September 2021 in Japan.
Medal winners
Sophie Pascoe from Christchurch won 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze medals in swimming. William Stedman, also from Christchurch won a silver and a bronze in athletics.
Competitors
- Cody Everson - Christchurch - Wheelchair Rugby
- Scott Martlew - Christchurch - Canoeing
- Mike Todd - Christchurch - Wheelchair Rugby
More profiles
Profiles from the New Zealand Olympic Committee website:
- Craig Adair (cycling)
- Anthony Beks (swimming)
- Jan Borren (hockey)
- Ann Shurrock (archery)
- Ken Uprichard (archery)
- Belinda Colling (basketball) lives in Christchurch, born in Otago.
- Kevin Barry (boxing)
- Marise Chamberlain (athletics)
- Leslie Egnot (yachting)
- Dick Tayler (athletics)
- Danyon Loader born Timaru (swimming)