After a scrutineering process that was seemingly tougher than making the Olympic team itself, rower Hamish Bond was late last night revealed as New Zealand's 1000th Olympian.
The 22-year-old from Dunedin is part of the coxless four which finished seventh last weekend.
New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary-general BarryMaister named Bond as number 1000 as the team was preparing to make its way to the closing ceremony, where double gold medallists Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell carried the flag into the stadium.
Maister said the NZOC and the NZ Olympians Club had defined an "Olympian" as someone who had been accredited into the team at a Games, meaning that reserves were also included as long as they were checked into the village. But the IOC defines an Olympian as someone who actually takes the field of play.
Athletes were numbered alphabetically by Games. Number one was Harry Kerr who competed at the 1908 London Olympics, winning a bronze in the 3500m track walk.
Before Beijing, Maister and his team reckoned New Zealand had 989 Olympians. "Once all athletes had arrived, the process to discover the 1000th Olympian could begin."
Maister said Bond was a strong member of the rowing squad and the wider team, and represented all those Olympians who had come before him.
