Interest in hosting Commonwealth Games 'unprecedented'
Photo:
Photosport
New Zealand Olympic boss Nicki Nicol says the interest from countries in hosting future Commonwealth Games shows strong support for the future of the games.
It is one year until the trimmed down games in Glasgow. The Scottish city came in late to save the event, following Victoria in Australia pulling out, saying they couldn't afford it.
It will be a scaled-down games in Glasgow with only 10 sports, but Nicol said there is ''unprecedented interest'' in hosting the 2030 games.
Five countries have confirmed their interest in bidding for 2030, while New Zealand and another country are eyeing the 2034 games.
"It does show that the interest in hosting and for our athletes participating at the Commonwealth Games is still really strong," Nicol told RNZ.
"We are in really good shape."
Canada, India, Nigeria, and two countries yet to be named are in the picture for hosting in 2030.
It's understood a decision will be made later this year on what country will host those games.
"2034 is our ambition and we will be working really hard to bring that to life," Nicol said.
The sports on show in Glasgow will be 3 X 3 basketball and wheelchair basketball, artistic gymnastics, athletics and para athletics, bowls and para bowls, boxing, judo, netball, swimming and para swimming, track cycling and para track cycling, and weightlifting and para powerlifting.
Nicol said 70 percent of medals contested for at the Birmingham games in 2022 would be on offer in Glasgow.
"It's still a substantial games, but it has been pared back, particularly in team sports, and we feel for hockey, sevens and cricketers," Nicol said.
There were 19 sports at Birmingham.
Nicol said that given the late change posed by Victoria's withdrawal, Glasgow has evolved the games model with a decision not to construct an athletes' village.
Athletes instead will stay in hotels next to games venues.
Nicol indicated Commonwealth Sports's intention was to return to a fuller sports programme at future games, while running them on a more economically sustainable basis than past events.
The New Zealand team is marking the 'one year to go' until the Glasgow games with the launch of 'The Fern is all of Us' campaign at a cocktail party in Auckland tonight.
The event will feature a musical collaboration between Te Whare Haka o Waititi and the City of Sails Pipe Band, honouring both the Māori and Scottish cultures while Governor-General Dame Cindy Kiro will also present the King's Baton to the New Zealand team.
Nicol said 2026 was a big year for New Zealand sport, with the Winter Olympics in Italy in February and the Youth Olympics in Dakar in October and November, as well as the Commonwealth Games.
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