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Comm Games success raises possibility of NZ hosting

Author
Newstalk ZB, NZ Newswire,
Publish Date
Mon, 16 Apr 2018, 7:17AM
It was nearly a record breaking games for the New Zealand team. (Photo / NZ Herald)
It was nearly a record breaking games for the New Zealand team. (Photo / NZ Herald)

Comm Games success raises possibility of NZ hosting

Author
Newstalk ZB, NZ Newswire,
Publish Date
Mon, 16 Apr 2018, 7:17AM

A successful Commonwealth Games came to a close last night.

The Kiwi team finished with 15 golds and 46 medals overall - one more than Glasgow four years ago.

Sport and Recreation Minister Grant Robertson says the Games were the most successful we've had outside of the two we've hosted.

Robertson says you can't buy the pride of watching Sevens player Kelly Brazier's winning try to claim gold last night.

"You can never measure the benefit of that, it's just part of who we are as New Zealanders, it's part of our national identity and something to be celebrated," he said.

Robertson said it's amazing to see our athletes fight for and win medals at the pinnacle of their discipline.

We put a decent amount of money into sport at all levels, he says, and seeing the result of the investment is satisfying for the athletes and the taxpayer.

"These are the people who are the heroes for the next generation coming through, encouraging them to be fit and to be healthy and to engage in sport, and making them proud of their country."

New Zealand finished fifth on the medal table, placing them just above South Africa and below Australia, England, India and Canada.

It's the second best gold-medal haul after the 1990 Games in Auckland (17) and the total of 46 medals sit behind just the 1990 Games (58) and the 1950 Games (54), also in Auckland.

The success of the games has opened up the tempting prospect of another New Zealand-hosted event.

But Kiwi chef de mission Rob Waddell says it's important to look at the possibility properly.

"I'd love to see us put our hand up, I'd love to see us have a look at it," the former Olympic rowing gold-medallist said.

"It doesn't mean we have to commit - all it means is we open the books, we learn about it, and see what it would do for New Zealand."

Waddell said the Commonwealth Games Federation's willingness to collaborate meant there was plenty of information available - economic benefit studies, infrastructure support and tourism information.

"The ways of doing these partnerships means that governments don't have to write out really big cheques," Waddell said.

"There's a lot of good that come from it. New buildings, low-cost housing, transport, you name it."

Waddell said the Gold Coast Games medal tally showed that New Zealand sport was moving in the right direction, particularly given the targeted approach to funding.

With 150 athletes from non-targeted sports in the 251-strong Kiwi team, Waddell said the results reinforced the benefits of the system.

"I'd like to think that although funding is dispersed in different ways, we have got some good collaboration going on within the teams," Waddell said.

"People are working together, sharing information, and the standard's getting higher."

Kiwi Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Friday, meanwhile, that hosting a future Commonwealth Games event is "not currently on the table".

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