July 25, 2024 • 7 mins
Just 24 hours out from The Paris Olympics officially getting underway. We catch up with the boss of Team NZ.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Official radio broadcast partner of the Olympic Games, Paris twenty
twenty four. Go Gold, Gold, Sport.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Well, we're just one sleep away from the Paris Olympics
officially getting underway. New Zealand will be represented by one
hundred and ninety five athletes at these Games, joining us
on the CSB this morning, A man has been very
busy on the ground in Paris for a week or two.
Chef de mission from the New Zealand team, Nigel every morning, Nigel.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yeah, good morning, good morning. How are you very very well?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
More importantly though, how you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Oh doing excellent? Thank you were. I'll just stick out
of our flagburer announcing ceremony. So very significant sort of
point of our journey really, So that's an amazing, amazing
thing to be part of.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
How difficult was it to make the decision as to
who was going to carry the flags? You've chosen Aaron
Gate and Joe La Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Look, I mean I think you could almost have anyone
of our effects up here right, there's a ninety five
amazing kiwis who's are starting their journey or some have
started actually so but I think you know, both Joe
and are amazing athlete in their own right, but I
think more importantly they're incredible ambassadors, you know, for the country,
for themselves and their families, and they just carry have
(01:18):
so much mana that you know they will represent us
really well.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
And you personally know what it's like to carry a flag.
You with a flag bearer at the Manchester come on
with games in two thousand and two, won't you.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
I was and a huge honor.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
It's not the sort of thing that you aspire to
a right on your list of goals, the to do list,
but something that's just happens, right, And I think New
Yon's got a culture have been very, very humble and unassuming,
and these two wonderful people were like that. When I
asked them, they were really quite blown away. And both
(01:52):
of them see here, it's not sort of thing I
aspired to or ever dreamed of, but here they are,
and they spoke just so well from the heart, just
just beautiful. So we're really looking forward to to getting
Aaron into the village tomorrow and it's to a formal
cloaking ceremony with him. And the really quite amazing thing
about that is that men's rugby you've got a day
(02:14):
off and there's no competition obviously, so everybody, all the
athletes are going to be in the village. You know,
they couldn't come for different reasons tonight, so it's going
to be quite special.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
And being a flag bearer for these Olympics a little
bit different because the opening ceremony is going to be
on the river saying, isn't.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It it is. It's gonna be very It's very unique.
And we even had a briefing at the shift of
Mission meeting this morning and they didn't give too many
clothes away. But it's going to be quite spectacular, not
only at the end for the festivities and the formal proceedings,
but right throughout the bridges and things, so you know
people are keen to get up and have a look.
(02:49):
It's probably it's probably quite worth it, I think, And
I suppose for the team.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I mean there won't be marching. They'll be on barges,
won't they.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Well they will. I mean there's a few of I mean,
like all these things because it's a large number of
people to try and all and them in one go.
The staging is quite significant. In the time away from
the village, is quite long, but you're right, they're seating
on the barge, so that's pretty cool. Not many ATHLETs
like to stand around for too long. That's a real bonus.
It's going to be unique and I believe we'll have
(03:15):
our own boat too, so it'll be.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Excellent, fantastic. It's been a challenging start for you, really,
you've had to deal with all sorts of things as
CHEFT a mission you always would. I mean the drone
gate scandal with the Canadian football team spying on New Zealand.
I mean you probably weren't prepared for that, were you.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
No, it's not the sort of thing you prepare for.
But instance, we do prepare for significant critical events and
we'll do lots of rehearsals for different scenarios. This wasn't
one of them. But we put our team in place
and wrap rounds in port, particularly of the team, the
ethlets and their management because they are the most important things.
And just just a little bit, you know, obviously very disappointing,
(03:53):
but you know, they couldn't get away with a win today,
but I think they just put themselves proud against the
reigning Olympic champions.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
So Nigel, let's look at the facilities over there. You've
been to Olympic Games, you've been to Calm games. What
are the facilities like, how do they compare it?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, they're pretty good. The village is it's pretty amazing.
I've only been into one bridge as an athlete, but
multiple chefs have been to many, many games, and they
were saying in the lead in the pumpin period of
five days of pre setup that this is the best
village that they'd seen, and so we were extremely fortunate.
It's all that's either been built from scratch or renovated
(04:32):
to new standard and so it's a wonderful environment. And look,
the first day of ethics arrival was about two and
a half thousand, the next day another two and a
half thousand. I went away for two days to visit
with both means that it was football and came back
so after four days maybe ten thousand people with it
was just electric. It's amazing and very very incredible environment.
(04:53):
So our athletes are just soaking that up and been
part of the occasion.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
It was always always talk about out the food for
the athletes village and apparently they're looking at Michelan chefs
this year.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yes, I haven't come, I haven't made a year yet,
but one of a company I support, you were to
go down for a snack once a day. But yeah,
there's a little Missilian chef set up on the side
thereby the dining hall that's producing snacks for the athletes.
It's quite amazing. I mean only the French right.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, absolutely, you probably wish it was like that when
you're at the Sydney Olympics. So security wise, there's been
a lot of talk over here about security around the
venues and around the streets of Paris. Does that noticeable?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Extremely? So, we are coming back from I think it
was Means Football with a flight delay and we didn't
end up getting back to the village till about two
city in the morning. But as we were closer and closer,
there was more and more and more police presence on
every corner, multiple police just on the beat cars around.
So they're extremely nice. Well, they're taking it very very seriously.
(05:55):
So I think Paris could possibly be one of the
safest places in the world at the moment with the
amount of police and security presence.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
And getting around for the athletes. Is that okay? Is
that reasonably easy?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah? So they have what's called THA Transport, which is
a transport for athletes. THA so buses go from all
the different villages and venues competition or training as a
schedule and whatnot. And so there was a few teething
things were said at the moment, as there always is,
and so those are the message of discomfort or hey,
(06:28):
we need to be that come through every morning. And
this is a shift mission meeting and the Audiance committee,
he said, and goes out to try and improve. And
so I'm sure it'll be fine and I'll make things happen.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Well, Nige, we wish you one hundred and ninety five
athletes of the game is the very very best of Like,
thank you for joining us this morning.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Thank you very much for having me me and we
will be providing many great opportunities for excitement for your listeners.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Fantastic Nigel Labour Chef de Mission and the opening ceremony
gets underway at five o'clock tomorrow morning, New Zealand time,
and hot rumors at Celine Dion and Lady Gaga are
going to be the secret entertainers. How can that be
a secret. We know, we'll have to wait and see. Hey,
and here's a fun fact for you about the Olympic Games.
(07:14):
The winner of the first modern Olympic marathon stopped at
a tavern mid race for a glass of wine. Try
that one when you're running a marathon.
Official radio broadcast partner of the Olympic Games, Paris twenty
twenty four. Go Gold, Gold, Sport.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Well, we're just one sleep away from the Paris Olympics
officially getting underway. New Zealand will be represented by one
hundred and ninety five athletes at these Games, joining us
on the CSB this morning, A man has been very
busy on the ground in Paris for a week or two.
Chef de mission from the New Zealand team, Nigel every morning, Nigel.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Yeah, good morning, good morning. How are you very very well?
Speaker 2 (00:30):
More importantly though, how you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Oh doing excellent? Thank you were. I'll just stick out
of our flagburer announcing ceremony. So very significant sort of
point of our journey really, So that's an amazing, amazing
thing to be part of.
Speaker 2 (00:47):
How difficult was it to make the decision as to
who was going to carry the flags? You've chosen Aaron
Gate and Joe La Yeah.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Look, I mean I think you could almost have anyone
of our effects up here right, there's a ninety five
amazing kiwis who's are starting their journey or some have
started actually so but I think you know, both Joe
and are amazing athlete in their own right, but I
think more importantly they're incredible ambassadors, you know, for the country,
for themselves and their families, and they just carry have
(01:18):
so much mana that you know they will represent us
really well.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
And you personally know what it's like to carry a flag.
You with a flag bearer at the Manchester come on
with games in two thousand and two, won't you.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
I was and a huge honor.
Speaker 2 (01:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (01:31):
It's not the sort of thing that you aspire to
a right on your list of goals, the to do list,
but something that's just happens, right, And I think New
Yon's got a culture have been very, very humble and unassuming,
and these two wonderful people were like that. When I
asked them, they were really quite blown away. And both
(01:52):
of them see here, it's not sort of thing I
aspired to or ever dreamed of, but here they are,
and they spoke just so well from the heart, just
just beautiful. So we're really looking forward to to getting
Aaron into the village tomorrow and it's to a formal
cloaking ceremony with him. And the really quite amazing thing
about that is that men's rugby you've got a day
(02:14):
off and there's no competition obviously, so everybody, all the
athletes are going to be in the village. You know,
they couldn't come for different reasons tonight, so it's going
to be quite special.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
And being a flag bearer for these Olympics a little
bit different because the opening ceremony is going to be
on the river saying, isn't.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It it is. It's gonna be very It's very unique.
And we even had a briefing at the shift of
Mission meeting this morning and they didn't give too many
clothes away. But it's going to be quite spectacular, not
only at the end for the festivities and the formal proceedings,
but right throughout the bridges and things, so you know
people are keen to get up and have a look.
(02:49):
It's probably it's probably quite worth it, I think, And
I suppose for the team.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
I mean there won't be marching. They'll be on barges,
won't they.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
Well they will. I mean there's a few of I mean,
like all these things because it's a large number of
people to try and all and them in one go.
The staging is quite significant. In the time away from
the village, is quite long, but you're right, they're seating
on the barge, so that's pretty cool. Not many ATHLETs
like to stand around for too long. That's a real bonus.
It's going to be unique and I believe we'll have
(03:15):
our own boat too, so it'll be.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Excellent, fantastic. It's been a challenging start for you, really,
you've had to deal with all sorts of things as
CHEFT a mission you always would. I mean the drone
gate scandal with the Canadian football team spying on New Zealand.
I mean you probably weren't prepared for that, were you.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
No, it's not the sort of thing you prepare for.
But instance, we do prepare for significant critical events and
we'll do lots of rehearsals for different scenarios. This wasn't
one of them. But we put our team in place
and wrap rounds in port, particularly of the team, the
ethlets and their management because they are the most important things.
And just just a little bit, you know, obviously very disappointing,
(03:53):
but you know, they couldn't get away with a win today,
but I think they just put themselves proud against the
reigning Olympic champions.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
So Nigel, let's look at the facilities over there. You've
been to Olympic Games, you've been to Calm games. What
are the facilities like, how do they compare it?
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, they're pretty good. The village is it's pretty amazing.
I've only been into one bridge as an athlete, but
multiple chefs have been to many, many games, and they
were saying in the lead in the pumpin period of
five days of pre setup that this is the best
village that they'd seen, and so we were extremely fortunate.
It's all that's either been built from scratch or renovated
(04:32):
to new standard and so it's a wonderful environment. And look,
the first day of ethics arrival was about two and
a half thousand, the next day another two and a
half thousand. I went away for two days to visit
with both means that it was football and came back
so after four days maybe ten thousand people with it
was just electric. It's amazing and very very incredible environment.
(04:53):
So our athletes are just soaking that up and been
part of the occasion.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
It was always always talk about out the food for
the athletes village and apparently they're looking at Michelan chefs
this year.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Yes, I haven't come, I haven't made a year yet,
but one of a company I support, you were to
go down for a snack once a day. But yeah,
there's a little Missilian chef set up on the side
thereby the dining hall that's producing snacks for the athletes.
It's quite amazing. I mean only the French right.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Well, absolutely, you probably wish it was like that when
you're at the Sydney Olympics. So security wise, there's been
a lot of talk over here about security around the
venues and around the streets of Paris. Does that noticeable?
Speaker 1 (05:35):
Extremely? So, we are coming back from I think it
was Means Football with a flight delay and we didn't
end up getting back to the village till about two
city in the morning. But as we were closer and closer,
there was more and more and more police presence on
every corner, multiple police just on the beat cars around.
So they're extremely nice. Well, they're taking it very very seriously.
(05:55):
So I think Paris could possibly be one of the
safest places in the world at the moment with the
amount of police and security presence.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
And getting around for the athletes. Is that okay? Is
that reasonably easy?
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah? So they have what's called THA Transport, which is
a transport for athletes. THA so buses go from all
the different villages and venues competition or training as a
schedule and whatnot. And so there was a few teething
things were said at the moment, as there always is,
and so those are the message of discomfort or hey,
(06:28):
we need to be that come through every morning. And
this is a shift mission meeting and the Audiance committee,
he said, and goes out to try and improve. And
so I'm sure it'll be fine and I'll make things happen.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Well, Nige, we wish you one hundred and ninety five
athletes of the game is the very very best of Like,
thank you for joining us this morning.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Thank you very much for having me me and we
will be providing many great opportunities for excitement for your listeners.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Fantastic Nigel Labour Chef de Mission and the opening ceremony
gets underway at five o'clock tomorrow morning, New Zealand time,
and hot rumors at Celine Dion and Lady Gaga are
going to be the secret entertainers. How can that be
a secret. We know, we'll have to wait and see. Hey,
and here's a fun fact for you about the Olympic Games.
(07:14):
The winner of the first modern Olympic marathon stopped at
a tavern mid race for a glass of wine. Try
that one when you're running a marathon.
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