Kiwi competitors honoured at Olympic events

Sporting heroes and local dignitaries will gather in Whangarei next week to celebrate New Zealand's  1111 Olympians.
The 2008 Olympic Games marked 100 years of New Zealand Olympic history and at Beijing the 1000th Olympian wore the silver fern.
This year, the New Zealand Olympic Committee  with the Olympians Club of NZ will honour each of these athletes through a series of 16 functions around  the country.
In Northland,  more than 50 Olympians and supporters - all living in Northland - will gather on Thursday,  June 25, at the ASB Leisure Centre in Whangarei to celebrate the occasion.
The function will feature a large contingent of hockey players - a sport rich in history and tradition in Northland.
Olympians Ross McPherson, John Hicks, Peter Byers, Tim Carter, Ted Salmon, Grant McLeod and Neil McLeod as well as family of deceased players Roger Capey and Trevor Blake, will be honoured at the event.
Other Olympians who will be part of the celebration include Rex Wilson and Beverley Robertson (athletics), Laurie Byers (cycling) and Sharon Ferris (yachting).
Many other Olympians from Northland will be honoured at other  special events around New Zealand.
Each of the Olympians will be presented with an exclusive Olympic pin featuring the five rings and a silver fern as well as the Olympian's unique number.
Olympians will also receive a commemorative certificate signed by Olympic committee president Jacques Rogge and committee secretary general, Barry Maister.
 Maister says honouring our Olympians is timely and important.
"In 100 years of Olympic history just 1000 New Zealanders have been able to call themselves an Olympian.
"These special people have created history and inspired generations of New Zealanders. Sir John Walker, Mahe Drysdale and others make up the fabric of our society and we're proud to honour them  in our communities."
A New Zealand Olympian is an athlete who has been selected for the New Zealand Olympic Team and has been accredited into the team at the Olympic Games.
The function in Northland takes place as communities around the world celebrate Olympic Day on June 23. 
The day is a celebration of the Olympic movement and its values of excellence, friendship and respect.
In New Zealand school children have been invited to participate in the Olympic Day Run and a series of lectures about the Olympic Games are being held in Auckland and Wellington.
A New Zealand Olympians Wall of Honour will be unveiled in the Olympic Museum Gallery in Wellington.