Kids' letters offer golden Olympic advice

By STACEY BODGER

All champion New Zealand triathlete Hamish Carter needs to win gold in his Olympic Games race on Sunday is a positive attitude and faith in himself, says schoolgirl Courtney Davis.

Courtney, aged 11, is one of thousands of children who have offered earnest advice to New Zealand's Olympic athletes in letters which will be delivered to the athletes' village this weekend.

New Zealand Post gave 65 schools, including New Lynn's Arahoe Primary School, special Olympic stamps so that children would be inspired to write good-luck letters to the athletes.

Arahoe's nominated athletes are Carter and swimmer Helen Norfolk.

Courtney Davis' letter to Carter said that if he trusted in himself and had a positive attitude, "You can get that gold medal.

"With every footstep you take and every breath you breathe, I and heaps of others will be there waiting and watching for you to cross the finish line first," she wrote.

Devon Horgan, 8, also chose Carter because he had seen him on television.

"I want to be a triathlete when I grow up so I told him to try his best and that I would be watching him on TV."

But 10-year-old Daniel Jones had to research what Helen Norfolk's specialist swimming event, the 400m individual medley, was before he could offer this advice: "All you can do is try your best.

"Remember, don't give up - go for gold, Helen!"

Norfolk is in action in heats of the 400m individual medley tomorrow morning. The final is tomorrow night.

The school's associate principal, Chrissy Denison, said the focus on the athletes through the letter project had helped the children to become excited about the Olympics.

Posties on bicycles turned up at the school yesterday to collect the letters.

Many of the letters were addressed in careful, multi-coloured handwriting.

Let us know...

What your school is doing for the Olympic Games.

stacey_bodger@herald.co.nz