News of New Zealanders via Global Media

One Love

One Love

Bob Brett used to correct Boris Becker’s backhand. Now he’s formed a Paris academy to coach young stars, including fourteen-year-old New Zealander Eden Marama.  

Southern Travail

Southern Travail

“The temperature will drop as low as minus 10 degrees, waves will be as high as 4 meters and the wind will be as strong as 40 knots.” None of which deterred winning home team Propeller…

Slightly Missed

Slightly Missed

“Aaron Slight worked very hard for the team in the seven years he was with us and everyone at Castrol Honda is very appreciative of that. He played an important part in the development of the…

Ali-Khan Do It

Ali-Khan Do It

New Zealand born McGill (Canada) student, Sarah Ali-Khan, wins Quebec Athletic Excellence Award for All-Canadian Track and Field.  

Home Brew

Home Brew

New Zealand horse takes out the Melbourne Cup. “Brilliantly ridden by 20-year-old South Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy, the regally bred Brew made light of 49kg when scoring a two-length victory after starting from the outside barrier.”

Rugger Scrum

Rugger Scrum

Recent south-north tests have created a scrum among sport journalist, players and coaches over playing style and rule reform SMH likes the running game, French coach describes losses as “no-brainers“, Welsh coach Kiwi Graham Henry has…

Tua Much

Tua Much

It wasn’t his destiny this time. Pre- and post-fight opinion on Tua-Lennox.Pre in the Sunday Times, New York Daily News, USA Today and the Scotsman. Tua’s toxic hair at News24. Post in Las Vegas Sun, New York and Daily News.

Gulf Rugby Shock

Gulf Rugby Shock

The Arabian Gulf 7s team are rather daunted by the thought of meeting New Zealand at the World 7s Series. “When I heard the draw I was lost for words,” said Arabian coach Darryl Weir. …

Going Cold Kiwi

Going Cold Kiwi

The League World Cup Lebanon vs NZ match was played in bitter weather. Three Lebanese players became hypothermic, but the New Zealanders seemed to cope OK. “The New Zealanders were probably used to it,” said…

Goldie Rides Again

Goldie Rides Again

The prodigiously talented Jeff Wilson – in this age of professionalism, perhaps the last person to be an AB and a Black Cap – has returned to rugby after a year’s refresher. “I’m sure he will…

Wright for the Job

Wright for the Job

The Indian cricket team is looking for a new coach and former New Zealand opener John Wright seems to be the man for the job. The final appointment will be announced before the team’s November tour…

Murderball Awe

Murderball Awe

New Zealand collected the Bronze at Sydney, impressing with their toughness along the way. “These are the hard men of the Paralympics. New Zealand’s heavily-tattoed Curtis Palmer emerged unscathed from a high-impact collision that sent him somersaulting…

Our Cup Overflowed

Our Cup Overflowed

The America’s Cup generated NZ$640 million in economic activity. Competing syndicates spent $149.2 mill, nearly matched by $118 mill from super-yacht spectators.

Indomitable Down Under

Indomitable Down Under

A young Bangladeshi expresses his respect for the Black Caps: Chris Cairns is “at his magnificent best”; Roger Twose is “that wily customer”, and the whole team displayed “the indomitable spirit of the team from Down Under”.

League of Their Own

League of Their Own

The Aotearoa Maori League team is “modelled on the Maori battalion,” says John Tamihere. “It will be a team of origin not of residence. And that’s great, it doesn’t matter if they’re on Mars, they’re still Maori.”

Kiwi-Pom Oggie Oi

Kiwi-Pom Oggie Oi

Ron Knox, originally of England, now New Zealand, introduced the stadium-filling “Oggie, Oggie, Oggie, Oi, Oi Oi” chant to the ockers. “I wonder if they will send me a gold medal,” says Ron.  

From Gold to Gold

From Gold to Gold

The sponsor of this year’s Boston Head of the Charles Regatta put up $30,000 prize money for the men’s and women’s sprints. Rob and Sonia Waddell scooped the pool, coming in first and collecting the reward.

Conner Cautious

Conner Cautious

Dennis Conner will be in Auckland contesting the Cup in 2003, but he sure isn’t feeling complacent: “There’s so much depth of talent in New Zealand…They’ll still be difficult to beat, ” he told the NY…

Well-ing-ton!

Well-ing-ton!

Wellington took out the NPC, beating a Canterbury side that fielded 12 AB’s in the starting line up. International stars did their bit for the Lions, with Lomu scoring twice and Cullen setting up for Inoki…

Kiwi KO

Kiwi KO

The Black Caps beat India in the ICC knock-out final, making 265 with four wickets and two balls to spare. Chris Cairns, player of the match, got his century in a “heroic performance” that rescued the…

Choice Joyce

Choice Joyce

Leilani Joyce, New Zealand #1 since ’97, didn’t drop a game on the way to becoming British Open Champion and World Squash #1. “The plan was quite simple,” says Joyce of her final game against England’s…

His Way

His Way

Road cyclists usually compete in teams for strategy and support. North Hastings 18-year-old Jeremy Yates, the new Junior Men’s Road Cycling World Champion. Yates beat 166 international riders, sprinting the last 4kms of the 127km race in…

Cullen a Keeper

Cullen a Keeper

Christian Cullen has resisted overseas contracts to concentrate on winning the World Cup for New Zealand in 2003 (which will be held in Australia and New Zealand). “The World Cup is the only thing I haven’t won…

MurderBall

MurderBall

Wheelchair rugby, “Murderball” as it’s known by the players, is the only full contact wheelchair sport at the Paralympics. New Zealand is ranked second, behind the USA.  

Speed + Power = KO

Speed + Power = KO

That’s the equation chalked on Kiwi David Tua’s wall as the build up to the Tua-Lewis fight continues. In this interview Tua promises to put that equation into practice. He also talks about the importance of…

Phar Lap Not Spiked

Phar Lap Not Spiked

A mystery finally solved. Phar Lap, the new bio of the legend concludes that he was not poisoned as previously suspected. His death in America was due to duodenitis proximal jejunitis, a disease not identified until 1983.

Wright for the Job

Wright for the Job

John Wright has secured the national cricket coaching spot in India. Wright’s command begins just before Zimbabwe tour India later this month.

Kiwi Water Winner

Kiwi Water Winner

The gold medal in women’s 470 sailing class at Sydney went to Australia – with a Kiwi doing the work. New Zealander Jenny Armstrong teamed up with Barbara Stowell, originally from Zimbabwe, to win Australia’s 50th medal.

Jumpin’ Jai

Jumpin’ Jai

With a name like Taurima, he must be one of us. Jai Taurima, the Queensland-born son of a Maori father, just missed the gold in the long-jump, but a personal best of 8.49 metres was enough…

Kiwi Coach Conquers in Rowing Eights

Kiwi Coach Conquers in Rowing Eights

The Olympic eights were taken out by the British for the time in 88 years and it was a Kiwi who pushed them to their win. The team cited Harry Mahon, their assistant coach, as a…

Jonah Joins the Kids

Jonah Joins the Kids

Eighty school children from around the world joined in the “Forever Sports Challenge” during the Olympics. Some major sporting metal flew in to assist with the challenge, including Jonah Lomu as specialist warm-up coach.

Dunkin’ Dream

Dunkin’ Dream

Kiwi Kirk Penney describes 2000 as “just dream after dream” after playing in the NCAA final four and the Olympics in one year.

Golden Moment

Golden Moment

Edge machine Rob Waddell takes the Olympic gold in rowing’s glamour event, the men’s single sculls.  

The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Runners

The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Runners

Jonathan Wyatt (1998 Champion) took out the Mountain Running World Trophy at the Bavarian village of Bergen, while the New Zealand Women successfully chased Gold as well.

Tiger Almost Tamed Almost by Waite’s Deft Strokes

Tiger Almost Tamed Almost by Waite’s Deft Strokes

The New Zealander gave golf’s biggest star a few worried moments at the Canadian Open. Grant Waite stayed with Woods the whole day until the closing strokes of the final round. “If you make a mistake, he’ll…

Home Run

Home Run

Shane Hunuhunu plays baseball for the Ashland (Ohio) Bombers’. The fireplug slugger imported from New Zealand features in “Fastpitch”, a new film by first-time film-maker Jeremy Spears. The footage was shot over a summer Spears spent playing…

Team NZ Pickup Pace

Team NZ Pickup Pace

Having carried off the wine prizes, we’re now taking skippers. Bertrand Pace, who skippered the French boat in the last America’s Cup, has signed on with Team NZ. “I am very pleased and excited to join the…

Braces, John

Braces, John

John Bracewell, the New Zealander who has coached the Gloucestershire County Cricket team to the top of the sport in England, says that he has been preparing himself to become an international coach. Though his first loyalty…

Hadlee Awards Trophies, Deplores Fixing and Lauds Lillee

Hadlee Awards Trophies, Deplores Fixing and Lauds Lillee

Sir Richard Hadlee, former New Zealand pace bowler, awarded the trophies at the Buchi Babu tournament in Chennai earlier this month. He railed against international match fixing, but had congratulatory words for the players in the tournament. Hadlee…

Rugby: Brits Gush About All Blacks

Rugby: Brits Gush About All Blacks

“To watch the sheer brilliance of New Zealand’s opening passage of play against the Wallabies, and then to have that followed by the marvellous fightback which took Australia to level pegging—and for that quality to be sustained…

Dean’s Decision

Dean Barker, Team New Zealand skipper, had ten minutes to make up his mind to take the hottest seat in sailing.

Tuaman

Tuaman

”I discovered at an early age that I had something special,” says championship contender David Tua. ”It’s a God-given talent I have to knock people out.” It is a gift rewarded only in one place. Only…

Phar Lap’s Hide on Display Again After Three Years in Storage

Phar Lap’s Hide on Display Again After Three Years in Storage

“The hide is in Melbourne, the heart in Canberra. The bones are in Wellington, the big delicate skeleton of a horse who used to mean business.” (from ‘Phar Lap’, by Bill Manhire)  

Tiger’s Big Brother

Tiger’s Big Brother

“He walks with him, laughs with him, listens to him, and knows what to say to him and how to say it.” The New York Time describes Kiwi caddy Steve Williams as a big brother to…

Cycling Gold

Cycling Gold

New Zealand won two gold medals in the fifth and final leg of the Track World Cup Cycling Championship. Glen Thompson won in the 30km points race and Sarah Ulmer continued her superb Olympic preparation.

Sailing Away with the Kenwood Cup

Sailing Away with the Kenwood Cup

New Zealand was officially named champion of the 12th Biennial Kenwood Cup Hawaii International offshore series, with Big Apple 3, after stopping to help a distressed boat, still coming in ahead of Australia, the USA and…

Sport of Kiwis

Sport of Kiwis

New Zealand beat South Africa 11-10 after withstanding an onslaught in the final chukka, to win the BMW polo series 2-0 in Durban. They won the first test 10-8 and showed the benefit of professional experience,…

Getting Jiggy: Bolstad Axes the Competition at ESPN Outdoor Games

Getting Jiggy: Bolstad Axes the Competition at ESPN Outdoor Games

Dave Bolstad “considered to be one of the world’s best” of Taumarunui won the most medals at the inaugural ESPN Outdoor Games held in the last week of July. The timber expert and world champion axeman…

Biking Versus Hiking and the DOC Peacemaker

Biking Versus Hiking and the DOC Peacemaker

Mountain biker Yuri Kuzyk takes issue with an Ottawa Citizen article claiming that mountain biking erodes mountain trails in Gatineau Park. He cites the hard science of a 1995 New Zealand Department of Conservation Study that shows…

A Bob Either Way

A Bob Either Way

“The only cast-iron certainty in golf right now is that New Zealand veteran, Bob Charles, will finish in the top six in the British Seniors Open.” The Belfast Telegraph correctly placed its bet on the Kiwi left…

World Cup Win for Waddell

World Cup Win for Waddell

Kiwi World Champion Rob Waddell confirmed his Gold Medal prospects for the single sculls at the Sydney Olympics by winning the World Cup in Zurich. The Kiwi four also caused a oarsome upset becoming the first…

As Good as It Gets? Back in Black!

As Good as It Gets? Back in Black!

“The jagged edge is back to New Zealand’s game, the legal violence of execution beneath the blades of the All Black harvester,” writes the Sydney Morning Herald. We couldn’t have said it better. Shell-shocked Aussie captain John…

Bob Charles Swings into History

Bob Charles Swings into History

On the occasion of the millennium British Open the Royal and Ancient celebrated past champions, including Kiwi Bob Charles: “Thirty-seven years after he became the first left-hander to win the title, New Zealander Bob Charles still swings…

“The Greatest Game Ever Played? This One’s the Winner”

“The Greatest Game Ever Played? This One’s the Winner”

A world record crowd at Stadium Australia witnessed what was acclaimed as one of the great test matches. A waltzing Jonah scored the winning try in injury time in a miraculous end to a thrilling match,…

The New Zealand Presence at Wimbledon

The New Zealand Presence at Wimbledon

Unfortunately it wasn’t a tennis player: “New Zealand’s profound influence on international sport goes beyond the haka and influencing the bidding of World Cup football finals. Consider, for example, Aorangi Park, the area of the All England…

Fast Cat Dalton Borne on the Scud of the Sea

Fast Cat Dalton Borne on the Scud of the Sea

The New York Times scuds along at 31 knots on board the world’s quickest ocean-going sailboat. For Club Med, skippered by Kiwi Grant Dalton pushing the boundaries of speed is plain-sailing: “You never get sick…