Young athletes will come to Whanganui's Cooks Gardens as part of the Colgate Summer Games

The 2023 North Island Colgate games have been moved from Palmerston North to Cooks Gardens in Whanganui. Photo / Bevan Conley

Manawatū's loss is Whanganui's gain with the city securing one the New Zealand's largest school sporting events.

Young athletes from across the North Island will come to Whanganui early in January for the 2023 North Island Colgate Games at Cooks Gardens.

The event, which usually attracts around 1000 school-aged athletes, will take place from January 6-8, 14 years after Whanganui last hosted the games.

Palmerston North was originally named as the games venue but a music event was later confirmed for the same weekend.

Athletics NZ made the decision to look for an alternative venue as more than 10,000 people were expected to attend the music event and it feared a shortage of accommodation.

Athletics NZ chief executive Peter Pfitzinger said he was delighted Whanganui stepped in to host the event.

"It is a venue that provides a rich tradition for staging top-quality athletics events," he said.

Sport Whanganui chief executive Danny Jonas said the games moving to Cooks Gardens was great news and Manawatū's loss was Whanganui's gain.

"Cooks Gardens has a rich history and it's great that it's coming home to a track that's probably world-famous."

The strategic lead of marketing for Whanganui & Partners, Jonathan Sykes, said the competition would further bolster the city's summer sports calendar, with the Cooks Classic event taking place in the same month.

Mayor Hamish McDouall said January would be a busy time for sports in Whanganui with the action continuing with the New Zealand Master's Games to be hosted by the city just weeks after.

"I'm very excited about having these young athletes and then a few weeks later, all the older athletes," he said.

He commended the work of the council and all those involved in securing the event for Whanganui.