Source: China Daily

11-19-2007 16:47

New Zealand sailing icon Barbara Kendall is set to attend her fifth Olympic Games after being named in the first batch of Kiwis to attend next year's event in Beijing.

Kendall, a former Olympic gold medallist, said at the weekend that she will join Ian Ferguson (canoeing), Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson (equestrian) as the other New Zealanders who have represented their country at the Olympic Games.

Kendall who has recorded many milestones during her 20 plus year career said the selection, a formality even at the age of 40 given several world class performances in recent months, was "awesome" news soon after it was unveiling at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Each of the sailors selected to the New Zealand Olympic Team to Beijing 2008 will compete in a different class. Barbara Kendall - RS:X Board - women, Tom Ashley - RS:X Board - men, Dan Slater - Finn, Andrew Murdoch - Laser, and Jo Aleh - Laser Radial.

Yachting New Zealand's Olympic Director, Rod Davis, believed the early selection of the first five members of the sailing team will allow the sailors to move from qualifying to preparation phase.

 

Editor:Yang Jie