KEY POINTS:
Auckland soccer referee Michael Hester has been selected to officiate at the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Hester will control at least one of the 32 men's matches at the Games in August. He will lead an all-Oceania trio including assistant referees Tevita Makasini of Tonga and Michael Joseph of Vanuatu.
A Lieutenant Commander in the Royal New Zealand Navy, Hester's promotion marks a swift rise through the international refereeing ranks after solid performances in Oceania tournaments since joining the pool of Fifa referees last year.
He has officiated in age grade World Cup qualifiers, Olympic qualifiers, and the South Pacific Games - which doubled as the first stage of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa - with club games at New Zealand Football Championship, A-League and O-League levels.
"This is the highlight, absolutely," Hester said.
"To be able to officiate on that sort of stage among some of the world's best players is an amazing opportunity."
Hester was in the middle for Wellington Phoenix's friendly match against David Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy in December, and said he was unlikely to be fazed by the occasion.
- NZPA
