A Waipā Home of Champions good luck video will be created for the Olympians and Paralympians heading to Paris.
“There is something special about the Olympic Games and this year even more so given the number of Waipā athletes competing. We really want to show how proud we are of their efforts,” Mayor Susan O’Regan said.
The business community was also being asked to soak up the spirit of the games and show their support by decorating their shop and office spaces.
“We want to create something special around the Games, to foster support and community pride. Bringing people together strengthens our sense of unity, and together we can show our support for these athletes from halfway around the world,” O’Regan said.
“Our locally trained athletes are representing not just New Zealand but also our district. It’s a massive accomplishment worth recognising and celebrating.”
The council has partnered with the Grassroots Trust Velodrome to create Waipā's official fan zone.
The Waipā Fan Festival event will take place on August 4 from 9am to 12pm at Grassroots Trust Velodrome, Cambridge.
Supporters can test their speed against local athlete times and book a session on the track.
“There will be fun activities for the whole family, food trucks and Velodrome tours,” O’Regan said.
“There will also be guest appearances from previous Olympic medallists as well as some Paralympians before they head off for the Paralympics in August.”
Ellesse Andrews is one of several St Peter's School Cambridge alumni heading to Paris. Photo / Mike Scott
EVENTS: Cycling-Track: Women’s Team Sprint, Individual Sprint, Keirin
The Te Awamutu Sports Cycling Club alumna attended St Peter’s School Cambridge for the final two years of secondary school and has also studied at the University of Waikato.
Brown moved to Cambridge in January 2018 when Canoe Racing New Zealand shifted its training base from Auckland to Lake Karāpiro. He also studied at the University of Waikato.
Although the Olympic champion was born in the Bay of Plenty, she has strong family connections in the Te Awamutu area.
Her grandparents, Doreen and the late Maurice Carrington, lived at Waikeria and Te Awamutu for many years, as did their children, Patrick, Chris, Nigel, Amelia and Tina, who were all born in Gisborne and educated here.
Lisa’s father Patrick played rugby for the Te Awamutu College first XV rugby team for three years from 1973-1975.
Cambridge-based Francis (nee Donoghue), rowed for both Te Kauwhata College and the Mercer Rowing Club before changing to the Waikato Rowing Club. She joined the Waikato Rowing Performance Centre for the 2013/14 summer season.
Hamilton-based French (nee Buscomb) attended St Peter’s School Cambridge. She transferred her studies from Purdue University in Indiana to the University of Waikato in 2015 after being offered a Hillary Scholarship.
EVENT: Cycling – Men’s Mountain Bike Cross Country
Cambridge’s Gaze is an alumnus of both Hamilton Boys’ High School and Cambridge High School. He has been associated with Te Awamutu Sports Cycling Club.
EVENT: Cycling – Women’s Mountain Bike Cross Country
Hailing from Taupō and based in Wellington, Maxwell’s career took off after her victory in the under-23 category at the UCI MTB World Championships in 2023, making her the first New Zealand female to claim the title.
The former Matamata College student and All Blacks Sevens legend previously played rugby for Hinuera, the University of Waikato, Waikato and the Chiefs.
EVENTS: Cycling-Track: Women’s Team Sprint, Individual Sprint, Keirin
The Te Awamutu College, Te Awamutu BMX and Te Awamutu Sports Cycling Club alumna will head to her second Olympics in her second sport after attending Tokyo 2020 for BMX.
Southlanders Strong was the junior world champion in the team pursuit in 2018, before joining the Cycling New Zealand High-Performance programme in Cambridge.
Stacey Waaka is well known in rugby circles having represented University, Melville, Waikato, Chiefs Manawa the Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens. She is also a University of Waikato alumna.
EVENTS: Men’s 100m Backstroke S9, 100m Fly S10(S9), 100m Breaststroke SB8
Hamilton-based Reynolds will compete at his third Paralympic Games in Paris. He is associated with Hamilton Aquatics and Waikato Regional Performance Centre.
