Three Southlanders named in Olympic cycling team

Tori Peeters has now been joined by cyclists Corbin Strong, Tom Sexton, and Nicole Shields as far as Southlanders booking their spots for this year's Olympics.

Tom Sexton is one of three Southland cyclists named in the New Zealand cycling team to head to the Olympics.

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Southland’s athlete tally for the 2024 Olympic Games starting in July has just increased to four.

Javelin thrower Tori Peeters was last month named in the New Zealand athletics to attend the Olympics in Paris this year.

Peeters has now been joined by cyclists Corbin Strong, Tom Sexton, and Nicole Shields as far as Southlanders booking their spots.

The trio was part of the 16-strong track and road cycling team named on Wednesday.

Sexton will join New Zealand Sportsman of the Year Aaron Gate World Tour rider Campbell Stewart, and Keegan Hornblow in the men’s endurance group.

Strong is part of a four-person road team who are all young European-based World Tour professionals.

The other road riders named are Niamh Fisher-Black (Team SD Worx), Kim Cadzow (EF Education), and Laurence Pithie (Groupama-FDJ).

Strong, 24, from Invercargill, is a former world champion on the track, who has already enjoyed two professional victories on the road and this year was second in a stage of Tour Downunder and Tour of Finisterre and fourth in the Cadel Evans Ocean race.

Meanwhile Shields has been named as part of a women’s endurance quartet which also includes Bryony Botha, Ally Wollaston, and Emily Shearman.

The New Zealand track and road team is:

Track, Women, Endurance: Bryony Botha (Auckland), Emily Shearman (Palmerston North), Nicole Shields (Clyde), Ally Wollaston (Cambridge).
Sprint: Ellesse Andrews (Christchurch), Shaane Fulton (Nelson), Rebecca Petch (Te Awamutu).

Male, Endurance: Aaron Gate (Auckland), Keegan Hornblow (Nelson), Tom Sexton (Invercargill), Campbell Stewart (Palmerston North).
Sprint: Sam Dakin (Auckland).

Road, Women: Kim Cadzow (Tauranga), Niamh Fisher-Black (Nelson).
Men: Laurence Pithie (Christchurch), Corbin Strong (Invercargill).

Reserves:
Female Track, Sprint: Olivia King.
Endurance: Sami Donnelly, Michaela Drummond.
Road: Ella Wyllie, Henrietta Christie.
Male Track, Endurance: George Jackson, Nic Kergozou.
Road: Finn Fisher-Black, George Bennett.