Five rookies to watch at the Games
From top tryscorers and recordbreakers to world champions, here are five of most exciting newcomers on the New Zealand team that you need to know. Phillip Rollo reports.
Corbin Strong – Track Cycling
The youngest member of the men’s team pursuit squad could be gunning for two medals in Tokyo, with the 21-year-old likely to backup in either the madison or omnium. Corbin Strong overcame serious spinal injuries suffered in a nasty accident in 2018 to become world champion in the points race at the World Track Cycling Championship last year, while also helping the team pursuit a secure silver medal behind world recordsetters Denmark.
Liberato Cacace – Football
The Olywhites defender has the potential to be one of the breakout stars of the men’s football tournament. A nailed on starter for club and country, the hard-running left-back has taken his game to another level since securing a sixfigure move from Wellington Phoenix to Belgian Pro League club Sint-truiden. Has previously been linked to Serie A giants Juventus and could land a big move with a strong Olympic campaign as New Zealand chase their first win and look to progress from their group for the first time.
Olivia Shannon – Hockey
Olivia Shannon has already amassed 31 caps for the Black Sticks women’s hockey team after earning her first call-up as a 17-year-old secondary school student and despite her relative youth, is now one of the team’s main attacking threats. The speedster striker grew up playing rugby but has succeeded since picking up a hockey stick, winning numerous National Hockey League titles with Central and even earning MVP honours. She has scored four goals for the Black Sticks and is a real star of the future.
Sam Tanner – Athletics
The most exciting middle distance runner to come out of New Zealand since Nick Willis, Sam
Tanner will line up alongside his hero in the men’s 1500m in Tokyo after breaking Willis’s New Zealand indoor record to qualify for the Olympics. The University of Washington student ran a twosecond personal best time of 3min 34.72sec to clinch the automatic qualifier in February, a time so quick it also broke the US collegiate record and moved him up to fifth on New Zealand’s alltime rankings list. Tanner was the youngest New Zealander to run a sub four-minute mile.
Stacey Fluhler – Rugby sevens
Black Ferns women’s rugby sevens star Stacey Fluhler will be looking to complete the set with an Olympic Games medal after missing out on selection for Rio de Janeiro five years ago. A World Cup winner in both rugby and sevens, Fluhler has won everything else there is to win in the sport. The elusive runner was the top tryscorer on the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series in 2019-20 and is now an integral member of the team.