New Zealand Olympic Team Welcome
May I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.
Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the evening (Sign)
May I specifically greet you: Your Excellency Tony Browne, New Zealand's Ambassador to China; Eion Edgar, President of the New Zealand Olympic Committee; Barry Maister, Secretary-General of the New Zealand Olympic Committee; Dave Currie, New Zealand Olympic Team Chef de Mission; John Wells of SPARC; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen. And in the context of this evening's gathering, may I add the greeting: Ni Hao.
It is with pleasure that my wife Susan and I formally welcome the New Zealand Olympic Team to this, the XXIX Summer Olympiad here in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
These games are special for New Zealand and New Zealanders in many ways. First, the team, with more than 180 athletes, is the largest that our country has sent to any Summer Games, outstripping the previous record, at Sydney, by more than 30.
Secondly, tomorrow our team—athletes, managers and team officials—will parade into the Stadium for the opening ceremony, all resplendent in uniforms proudly bearing the silver fern. Among them will be New Zealand's one thousandth Olympian. That a nation of little over four million has produced so many talented competitors in its relatively short history is an amazing feat of which we can all feel proud.
Thirdly, and finally, this accomplishment is worth acknowledging in that these Games represent a century of New Zealand's participation in the Olympic movement. It was in 1908 that New Zealanders, as a part of an Australasian team with Australia, competed in the fourth Olympiad in London.
Those Games saw New Zealand win its first medal, when Harry Kerr won bronze in the 3500m walk, despite almost missing the start as he was busy chatting to some officials and had to dash to get to the start line!
Our first gold followed four years later in Stockholm when, again under the Australasian banner, the appropriately named Malcolm Champion, was part of the winning 4 X 2000m relay team.
As Governor-General, it seems appropriate that I should mention my predecessor Arthur Espie Porritt, the first New Zealand-born Governor-General. He was a Rhodes Scholar, a life member of the International Olympic Committee, President of the Royal College of Surgeons, was awarded the American Legion of Merit for his services during the Second World War and was for more than 30 years, surgeon to the British Royal Family.
Yet he readily admits, it was 11 seconds in 1924, when he took the bronze medal in the 100m race, now immortalised in the movie Chariots of Fire, that changed his life. As Joseph Romanos, who interviewed him shortly before his death in 1994, records in his book, Our Olympic Century:
"Porritt had a fantastic life, making his mark in political, business, diplomatic, medical and sports circles. But for all his splendid achievements he was emphatic that the defining moment of his life was when he hurtled down that track in Paris in 1924. That tiny Olympic bronze medal meant everything, and he knew it."
Those words speak volumes, not only of the significance of winning an Olympic medal, but of the strong spirit of friendly competition that New Zealanders bring to sporting endeavours, often overcoming adversity to be the best they can be. Who, for example, will ever forget the image of Neroli Fairhall in her wheelchair following flag bearer John Walker into the Coliseum at the start of the 1984 Los Angeles Games?
I wish I could say that you will all bring back medals from these Games, but you know (as well as I do) that that is the stuff of dreams.
But what a dream to have, because it is dreams that fire the spirit. No-one gets to the Olympics simply because they wanted to be a part of the team—they compete because they want to win. None of you would have made it this far if you weren't chasing that dream.
While I can't predict how your event will turn out, what I do know, is that you will all compete to the best of your ability with that goal in front of you. And in the New Zealand way, you will do that with a sense of good spirit, comradeship and humour that sets our people apart.
I can think of no better New Zealander with whose words to close, than those of the late Sir Ed Hillary, a humble person whose achievements are the stuff of legend. He made a comment that speaks well of the challenges that lie ahead. He said, and I quote: "People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things."
You have accomplished extraordinary things to get here. As Governor-General of our country Aotearoa New Zealand I wish each of you all the best in the extraordinary days ahead.
And on that uplifting note, I will close in our nation's first language, Maori, by offering greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.