August 3, 2026 • 10 mins
The Commonwealth Games are now complete, barring the closing ceremony.
New Zealand have finished sixth on the medal table with 10 gold, 14 silver and 12 bronze.
In recent memory, that compares to fifth at Birmingham and Gold Coast, sixth at Glasgow in 2014 and 11th at Delhi.
NZ Chef de Mission Nigel Avery joined Piney to recap the action and speculate on the future of the Games.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancie Wildergrave
from News Talk zed.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Kerston has come down on the twenty twenty six
Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. New Zealand athletes collected thirty six medals,
including ten gold, to finish sixth on the medal table.
Beyond the podium finishes, there were breakthrough performances, valuable experience
for a new generation of athletes, and plenty of discussion
(00:32):
about what the future holds for the Commonwealth Games themselves.
Joining us to reflect on New Zealand's campaign, the overall
experience and where the event goes from here. New Zealand's
Chef the Mission, Nigel Avery, is with us. Thanks figuring
out getting up earlier over their Nigel having a chat
to us. When you reflect on the last ten days
or so, what is your overall assessment of New Zealand's
(00:53):
Commonwealth Games campaign?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, hey, Jason, thanks for having me on. Look. Overall
assessment is really good.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
We were successful, I think, you know, obviously there are
some people that could have done better and want to
do better but didn't, and others that did bet than
we thought or they thought, and even the ouses in between,
right so really really proud of the team, in the group,
the way they present themselves both on and off the
field of play. Just a great group of people to
(01:21):
be around. So you're a very successful campaign.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
I want to talk about some of the other metrics
in a moment, but medals are obviously the most quantifiable
indicator of success. Thirty six medals across eight different sports
and golds in six different sports. How happy are you
with the metal Telly?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yeah, I mean, I don't count them in the inside
doesn't count the me that we want to support every
athlete in their endeavors. Having said that, yesterday morning we're
working that by a coffee and I thought, wow, we're
on twenty eight one. We we're going to land and
we were sort of thought, oh, it could be low thirties.
So get to thirty five I think was quite pleasing,
you know, obviously thrilled for those people who did get medals,
(02:02):
but did some stats overnight myself and we also had
fourteen events where we finished fourth, and so they're the
kind of the might have beens always going to have them,
and really disappointing for those particular people or teams to
finish in that position. But I think it just shows,
(02:23):
you know, the overall depth of the of the squad.
So although forth not the best place you want to finish,
it's still amazing and it just highlights that we've got
some very very good athletes.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And shift a mission. What are the metrics you look
at beyond the medal table when you are evaluating whether
a games has been successful?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Yeah, well, I guess the key one is making sure
everybody gets home safe and sound, you know, that's primarily
what we want to do. And then we have some
sort of surveys that actually went out this morning and
all the efforts should get it, and it's it's things like,
you know, you know, did you feel proud represented New Zealand?
Were the games you know, from your perspective from the
New Zealand team well organized? And the big one really
(03:05):
is the metric is you know, did the environment we
created help you in your performance?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Because really that's all we can do.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Because the athletes, they come to us sometimes days before
they compete, so all that hard work has done, We've
got no influence on what happens there. What we can
influence though, is how they feel about being a part
of the team, how they welcomed, they feel like they really.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Belong and does the environment we create help them.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
And so that's what we really focus on and will
wait to see what those those surveys come back and
what they look like.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
When you are putting the environment together. Then, Nigel, what
sort of things inform your decision making around that. Presumably
you do surveys after after previous games and you'll take
those those comments into account. But what else when you're
building the environment for the New Zealand team at an
Olympics or a Commonwealth Games.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yeah, so we obviously start planning these, you know, well
before being on the ground and so there's a lot
of things about the physical footprint that we're that we
can work with and sometimes you don't find out till
quite late what that looks like. In Glasgow's case, very
late because of obviously the short runway they had to prepare.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And so it's all about you know, putting in.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Place those those key things like ethleice lounge, you know, preparation, recovery, era,
the health is very important. You know where those are
located and what we can deliver. As I said, they
are really restricted on what operational space we provided.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
And then around that.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
It's more about you know, what do we do from
you know, the sort of intangial side, you know, to
create that sense of belong and that's really taking a
really good team of people, you know to be present.
You know, so Ethleic Services as example, so Julian Dean
in the get them two ex Olympians and Ethleic Services
just awesome people, the medical people awesome and so just
(04:50):
getting a good group of people, you know, the team.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Behind the team there as well is really important.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
And then I guess the thing that's that because we're
located in three locations, the one thing that we can
do for all athletes is welcome them into the team,
presenting with a team gift, and that some day will
all receive that. It's quite similar because you know, in
three locations, it's quite different because it has to.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Be after all the uncertainty about whether the Games would
even happen, as you mentioned the short run, why that
Glasgow had to pull them together. Do you think this
Games has done enough to ensure the future of the
Commonwealth Games.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Look, I think it has.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
You know, the main thing about the Games from a
sport perspective is that's the easiest part to deliver because
you know, the international federations get involved, they do many
many competitions throughout the years leading into it, so they
know what they're doing presents really well.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
The TV gets in behind it.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
It's all the other things that surround that that go
into a games, like security and transport and food and
all that. And I think what Glasgow's done is it's
shown that there can be a different model. And this
has been a very scale down one, so I'm not
saying that should be like this all the time, but
it's shown to other nations that oh, hang on a second,
we can do this, we can do this differently, and
the Commonwealth, federal or sport is open to innovation. And
(06:11):
so I think that's the big thing. And I guess
from our perspective. You know, there were not things that
went wrong from the organizing companies perspective because there wasn't
a lot of services offered, and so I guess from
our Purspeedi's like, well, look, let's just not sweat the
small stuff. You know, there's things that are going to
go wrong in every game's environment. Let's just control what
(06:33):
we control. So really going back to basic so.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Moving forward then Is there a happy medium to be
had here? Maybe not as scaled back as Glasgow was,
but maybe not as comprehensive as previous games. Is there
a happy medium to be struck in the future do
you think?
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I think there is and I think the next the
next edition in India, I heard they're looking for about
fifteen sports, which is down from the twenty two that
were in Birmingham, and I think there's probably where it lands.
I think what those sports are in the makeup, I'm unsure,
but I think the core sports, the swimming, track and field,
you know, track, cycling, they need to be there.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
I think that's one of the mandates.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
But other than that, it's really up to the host
to discuss, you know, decided negotiate. But I think trying
to be like a like a mini Olympics is maybe
not the way to go because just purely because of
the economics around it, it's it's very very expensive to
run and manage.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
On the sporting side of things, again, Nigel, the Commonwealth
Games have often been been used as a launching pad
for developing or younger athletes before they move on to
perhaps Olympic success. Is that pathway still important for you.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Look, I think it's extremely important. It is a stepping stone.
You know, it's a multiple sport event. Athletes don't get
an opportunity to that, and so if you can have
this experience.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Before landing at the Olympic.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Games, then I think it's it's it's a much better
way to go.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
And then for some sports this is the pinnacle.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
You know, you think you know, netball and bowls as
an example, they don't have the Olympic side of things,
and so for this this is it for them and
so extremely important because we think you know, once as
I said, once it gets pushed up on TV, it
creates a lot of interest and there's a lot of
young boys and girls watching. Go hey, I like to
be like that, and you know, we can't discount that.
It's you know, sport is so important for New Zealand.
(08:18):
It's part of our culture at least the healthy lifestyles
and good decision making hopefully, and so yeah, it's important
in many many levels.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Was there a performance or an athlete or or a
moment that summed up for you the spirit of this
New Zealand team.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Ye are lots of moments.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
And I think look every every athlete and team has
this story, and so for me there was a couple
probably yeah, bius, but I guess, you know, weightlifting. You know,
David Leati's journey injury wise was was pretty tricky le
into the games. And I spoke to him before he
competed the morning off, so what do you think, you know,
open it? And I thought, well, they quite for him,
(09:04):
quite modest openers, and I thought, geez, you know, he
stops not in the shape he probably wants to be,
so to go on and win like he did was unbelievable.
And I think, you know, the other one was a
netball team. You know obviously you know, definitely not smooth
sailing for them recently, and I spoke with them all
before the event and said.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Look, guys, you're just going to have used momentum, build on.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
That momentum, and then just just show what you can do.
And they did, and so really really proud of them,
Super exciting and fantastic for the sport of netball to
have that success.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And just to finish, you have competed at the high
level and now led teams to major games several times.
Do you still get a bit emotional watching athletes? Achieve
their their dreams.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Are hugely emotional and in both directions, you know, because
you mentioned those those.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Fourths and they are absolutely.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Just and so for me and the team, it's a
it's a real emotional rollercoaster, and I think that's why
we're quite exhausted for you know, the yelling encouragement and
and she's sort of writing.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Those emotional waves with these people.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
And I think that's going back to your question about
the relevance of the Games. You just got to look
at the emotion of people who succeed and the emotion
of people that don't, just to show that what it
means to the athletes. And I think if you serve them,
they will all say, yep, this is a really relevant competition.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Well, congratulations to you and your team, Nigel on creating
the environment within which our team experienced every part of
the emotional scale. I'm sure across the last ten days
or so. Thanks for joining us tonight, mate and save
travels home.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Thanks Jason, No, thank you, Nigel Nigel Avery their cheft
to mission for the New Zealand team to the Glasgow
Commonwealth Games.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancie Wildergrave
from News Talk zed.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Kerston has come down on the twenty twenty six
Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. New Zealand athletes collected thirty six medals,
including ten gold, to finish sixth on the medal table.
Beyond the podium finishes, there were breakthrough performances, valuable experience
for a new generation of athletes, and plenty of discussion
(00:32):
about what the future holds for the Commonwealth Games themselves.
Joining us to reflect on New Zealand's campaign, the overall
experience and where the event goes from here. New Zealand's
Chef the Mission, Nigel Avery, is with us. Thanks figuring
out getting up earlier over their Nigel having a chat
to us. When you reflect on the last ten days
or so, what is your overall assessment of New Zealand's
(00:53):
Commonwealth Games campaign?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Yeah, hey, Jason, thanks for having me on. Look. Overall
assessment is really good.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
We were successful, I think, you know, obviously there are
some people that could have done better and want to
do better but didn't, and others that did bet than
we thought or they thought, and even the ouses in between,
right so really really proud of the team, in the group,
the way they present themselves both on and off the
field of play. Just a great group of people to
(01:21):
be around. So you're a very successful campaign.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
I want to talk about some of the other metrics
in a moment, but medals are obviously the most quantifiable
indicator of success. Thirty six medals across eight different sports
and golds in six different sports. How happy are you
with the metal Telly?
Speaker 4 (01:40):
Yeah, I mean, I don't count them in the inside
doesn't count the me that we want to support every
athlete in their endeavors. Having said that, yesterday morning we're
working that by a coffee and I thought, wow, we're
on twenty eight one. We we're going to land and
we were sort of thought, oh, it could be low thirties.
So get to thirty five I think was quite pleasing,
you know, obviously thrilled for those people who did get medals,
(02:02):
but did some stats overnight myself and we also had
fourteen events where we finished fourth, and so they're the
kind of the might have beens always going to have them,
and really disappointing for those particular people or teams to
finish in that position. But I think it just shows,
(02:23):
you know, the overall depth of the of the squad.
So although forth not the best place you want to finish,
it's still amazing and it just highlights that we've got
some very very good athletes.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
And shift a mission. What are the metrics you look
at beyond the medal table when you are evaluating whether
a games has been successful?
Speaker 4 (02:42):
Yeah, well, I guess the key one is making sure
everybody gets home safe and sound, you know, that's primarily
what we want to do. And then we have some
sort of surveys that actually went out this morning and
all the efforts should get it, and it's it's things like,
you know, you know, did you feel proud represented New Zealand?
Were the games you know, from your perspective from the
New Zealand team well organized? And the big one really
(03:05):
is the metric is you know, did the environment we
created help you in your performance?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Because really that's all we can do.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Because the athletes, they come to us sometimes days before
they compete, so all that hard work has done, We've
got no influence on what happens there. What we can
influence though, is how they feel about being a part
of the team, how they welcomed, they feel like they really.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Belong and does the environment we create help them.
Speaker 4 (03:30):
And so that's what we really focus on and will
wait to see what those those surveys come back and
what they look like.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
When you are putting the environment together. Then, Nigel, what
sort of things inform your decision making around that. Presumably
you do surveys after after previous games and you'll take
those those comments into account. But what else when you're
building the environment for the New Zealand team at an
Olympics or a Commonwealth Games.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yeah, so we obviously start planning these, you know, well
before being on the ground and so there's a lot
of things about the physical footprint that we're that we
can work with and sometimes you don't find out till
quite late what that looks like. In Glasgow's case, very
late because of obviously the short runway they had to prepare.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
And so it's all about you know, putting in.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Place those those key things like ethleice lounge, you know, preparation, recovery, era,
the health is very important. You know where those are
located and what we can deliver. As I said, they
are really restricted on what operational space we provided.
Speaker 3 (04:29):
And then around that.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
It's more about you know, what do we do from
you know, the sort of intangial side, you know, to
create that sense of belong and that's really taking a
really good team of people, you know to be present.
You know, so Ethleic Services as example, so Julian Dean
in the get them two ex Olympians and Ethleic Services
just awesome people, the medical people awesome and so just
(04:50):
getting a good group of people, you know, the team.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Behind the team there as well is really important.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
And then I guess the thing that's that because we're
located in three locations, the one thing that we can
do for all athletes is welcome them into the team,
presenting with a team gift, and that some day will
all receive that. It's quite similar because you know, in
three locations, it's quite different because it has to.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
Be after all the uncertainty about whether the Games would
even happen, as you mentioned the short run, why that
Glasgow had to pull them together. Do you think this
Games has done enough to ensure the future of the
Commonwealth Games.
Speaker 3 (05:28):
Look, I think it has.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
You know, the main thing about the Games from a
sport perspective is that's the easiest part to deliver because
you know, the international federations get involved, they do many
many competitions throughout the years leading into it, so they
know what they're doing presents really well.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
The TV gets in behind it.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
It's all the other things that surround that that go
into a games, like security and transport and food and
all that. And I think what Glasgow's done is it's
shown that there can be a different model. And this
has been a very scale down one, so I'm not
saying that should be like this all the time, but
it's shown to other nations that oh, hang on a second,
we can do this, we can do this differently, and
the Commonwealth, federal or sport is open to innovation. And
(06:11):
so I think that's the big thing. And I guess
from our perspective. You know, there were not things that
went wrong from the organizing companies perspective because there wasn't
a lot of services offered, and so I guess from
our Purspeedi's like, well, look, let's just not sweat the
small stuff. You know, there's things that are going to
go wrong in every game's environment. Let's just control what
(06:33):
we control. So really going back to basic so.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Moving forward then Is there a happy medium to be
had here? Maybe not as scaled back as Glasgow was,
but maybe not as comprehensive as previous games. Is there
a happy medium to be struck in the future do
you think?
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I think there is and I think the next the
next edition in India, I heard they're looking for about
fifteen sports, which is down from the twenty two that
were in Birmingham, and I think there's probably where it lands.
I think what those sports are in the makeup, I'm unsure,
but I think the core sports, the swimming, track and field,
you know, track, cycling, they need to be there.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
I think that's one of the mandates.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
But other than that, it's really up to the host
to discuss, you know, decided negotiate. But I think trying
to be like a like a mini Olympics is maybe
not the way to go because just purely because of
the economics around it, it's it's very very expensive to
run and manage.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
On the sporting side of things, again, Nigel, the Commonwealth
Games have often been been used as a launching pad
for developing or younger athletes before they move on to
perhaps Olympic success. Is that pathway still important for you.
Speaker 4 (07:39):
Look, I think it's extremely important. It is a stepping stone.
You know, it's a multiple sport event. Athletes don't get
an opportunity to that, and so if you can have
this experience.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Before landing at the Olympic.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Games, then I think it's it's it's a much better
way to go.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
And then for some sports this is the pinnacle.
Speaker 4 (07:57):
You know, you think you know, netball and bowls as
an example, they don't have the Olympic side of things,
and so for this this is it for them and
so extremely important because we think you know, once as
I said, once it gets pushed up on TV, it
creates a lot of interest and there's a lot of
young boys and girls watching. Go hey, I like to
be like that, and you know, we can't discount that.
It's you know, sport is so important for New Zealand.
(08:18):
It's part of our culture at least the healthy lifestyles
and good decision making hopefully, and so yeah, it's important
in many many levels.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Was there a performance or an athlete or or a
moment that summed up for you the spirit of this
New Zealand team.
Speaker 3 (08:36):
Ye are lots of moments.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
And I think look every every athlete and team has
this story, and so for me there was a couple
probably yeah, bius, but I guess, you know, weightlifting. You know,
David Leati's journey injury wise was was pretty tricky le
into the games. And I spoke to him before he
competed the morning off, so what do you think, you know,
open it? And I thought, well, they quite for him,
(09:04):
quite modest openers, and I thought, geez, you know, he
stops not in the shape he probably wants to be,
so to go on and win like he did was unbelievable.
And I think, you know, the other one was a
netball team. You know obviously you know, definitely not smooth
sailing for them recently, and I spoke with them all
before the event and said.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Look, guys, you're just going to have used momentum, build on.
Speaker 4 (09:25):
That momentum, and then just just show what you can do.
And they did, and so really really proud of them,
Super exciting and fantastic for the sport of netball to
have that success.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
And just to finish, you have competed at the high
level and now led teams to major games several times.
Do you still get a bit emotional watching athletes? Achieve
their their dreams.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
Are hugely emotional and in both directions, you know, because
you mentioned those those.
Speaker 3 (09:53):
Fourths and they are absolutely.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
Just and so for me and the team, it's a
it's a real emotional rollercoaster, and I think that's why
we're quite exhausted for you know, the yelling encouragement and
and she's sort of writing.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
Those emotional waves with these people.
Speaker 4 (10:10):
And I think that's going back to your question about
the relevance of the Games. You just got to look
at the emotion of people who succeed and the emotion
of people that don't, just to show that what it
means to the athletes. And I think if you serve them,
they will all say, yep, this is a really relevant competition.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
Well, congratulations to you and your team, Nigel on creating
the environment within which our team experienced every part of
the emotional scale. I'm sure across the last ten days
or so. Thanks for joining us tonight, mate and save
travels home.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
Thanks Jason, No, thank you, Nigel Nigel Avery their cheft
to mission for the New Zealand team to the Glasgow
Commonwealth Games.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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