Media were abuzz with NZ Olympic Committee announcement of Luuka Jones and Finn Butcher to the NZ team for the 2024 Paris games.  The 28 year old boy from Alex (Alexandra) qualified the K1M Olympic quota at the 2023 World Championships and came through the Canoe Slalom NZ Olympic selection series as the winning nominee.  “It’s going to be amazing to go to the Olympics and represent my community and all the people who’ve helped me on my journey," said Butcher.

Competing alongside Butcher will be veteran Olympian Luuka Jones, marking her 5th consecutive Olympic appearance and joining Barbara Kendall and Dame Valerie Adams as the only other two NZ sportswomen with such accolades.  Jones told media at the Vector Wero Whitewater Park today “To be going to my fifth Olympics is crazy, It’s something I never dreamed of as a kid but I’m extremely grateful for the career that I’ve had and the experiences that I’ve had.”

Canoe Slalom NZ has another opportunity to qualify two more athletes for the games at the Global Qualification event in Kayak Cross and will see Tokyo Olympics paddler Callum Gilbert alongside Nick Collier, Hannah Thomas and Courtney Williams contesting for the remaining quotas.

Article added: Wednesday 13 March 2024