Times reporter JACKIE RUSSELL quizzed the community at Botany Town Centre to see if they thought the Olympics are inspirational to young New Zealanders.

The government’s investment via SPARC (Sport and Recreation NZ) in the Olympic high performance programme was $60 million since the 2004 Athens Games.

This nation’s monetary contribution is reported to be lean in comparison to other countries. Being New Zealand’s most successful performance for two decades it’s little wonder Kiwis are on a drug-free Olympic high.

Simone Rew,
Howick

“Yes. My little brothers have been following it like crazy. I think that to become a top athlete is really neat for kids to aspire to. My brothers are 12-year-old twins.”

Melissa Berghorst,
Dannemora

“Yes. If a student sees the determination that they have to play a sport and achieve a goal, it shows them that if they have a goal they can achieve anything, as well as the people in the Olympics do.”

Helena Hallie,
Dannemora

“Definitely. It shows young New Zealanders if you persevere and work hard you can achieve anything. You can achieve your goals. To work hard and be dedicated is very good for young people.”

Dawie Malan,
Botany Downs

“Yes. It’s good to see some of our sporting role models pushing their bodies and setting such an example of what the body can do, in its endurance and areas of discipline. It’s a wonderful role model for younger people.”

Edward Long,
Cockle Bay

“Definitely. They’ve got some good examples of wonderful sportspeople and they’re something to emulate. If they take up a sport it occupies a lot of their time, rather than a lot of the other kids hanging around and doing nothing.”

Dewald De Klerk,
Botany Downs

“Yes, because they see lots of people who are good at sport and it motivates them to do sport themselves and to go hard at all the goals they set.”