Paris Olympics: Te Pahū's Hazel Ouwehand to become an Olympian

Waikato Herald·

1 May, 2024 01:28 AM2 mins to read

Hazel Ouwehand will compete in the Women’s 100m Butterfly at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Photo / Simon Watts, BWMedia.co.nz

From rural Te Pahū to Paris - Hazel Ouwehand, 24, smashed her national record at the New Zealand Swimming Championships in Hastings last month and will compete in the Women’s 100m Butterfly at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Now Auckland-based, Ouwehand swam for the Te Awamutu Swimming Club from ages 6 to 17.

Ouwehand set a New Zealand record in the 100m butterfly to qualify and bettered the Olympic mark by nearly half a second.

The former Te Pahū Primary School and Te Awamutu College student earned an Olympic qualification time of 57.43 seconds and has been selected in the nine-strong New Zealand swimming group to compete in France.

No other Kiwi woman has swum faster than 58.50 seconds.

The previous record-holder was Helena Gasson who set the New Zealand record at 58.51 seconds in 2016.

This year, Ouwehand is ranked 14th in the world and fifth fastest in the Commonwealth.

Only two swimmers per country can enter each event at the Olympics - unlike the Commonwealth Games where three can - this means she may be seeded higher at Paris.

Ouwehand is one of six athletes who will make their Olympic debuts after achieving qualification times at the New Zealand Swimming Championships.

They are joined by second-time Olympians, world champions Lewis Clareburt and Erika Fairweather, and Eve Thomas.

“To have nine quality athletes heading to the Games is fantastic,” Swimming New Zealand Olympic programme lead Gary Francis said.

“We’ve got a great mix of experienced campaigners and exciting young talent in this team. We were thrilled with the times these athletes swam at the New Zealand Swimming Championships and we’re expecting some special performances in Paris in a few months time.”

The Paris 2024 swimming competition will be contested from July 27 to August 4 at the Paris La Defense Arena, the largest indoor events venue in Europe.