Luge athlete Maggie Dowling (Naseby, 17) and Alpine Ski Racers Charlotte Wiggins (Auckland, 16) and Hemi Meikle (Wānaka, 17) have been named to the New Zealand Team for Gangwon 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games.
Luge:
Dowling has been selected in the women’s single luge event after taking up the sport at a young age on the natural track in Naseby, Central Otago.
The 17-year-old is in Europe preparing for the Games and has trained in Norway, Latvia, Austria and Germany, with her speeds getting faster and her lines more consistent every run.
"It was a big change for me coming to Europe, because the track in Naseby is a natural track and 360 metres long - here the tracks are artificially iced Olympic and World Championship tracks. They’re faster, longer and require different technique and movement,” explained Dowling.
"I first heard about luge when I was four years old. I used to watch my brother and mother luge in Naseby and one of the coaches, two-time Olympian, Guntis Rekis from Latvia, took me down the track on a sled. My father also helped build the luge track in Naseby’s Maniototo Adventure Park, so I have a certain family connection to the track, which is just five kilometres from my home. My family have spent a lot of time there ice skating, curling and with luge.
“I love luge because it's so different to other sports,” concluded Dowling. “I'm looking for a bit of a thrill. I need the speed and love the rush and the adrenaline it gives me. I have to concentrate a lot because I only have a short window of time to think about what I need to do in each corner. Above all, I enjoy the sport and the feeling of having won a race.”
New Zealand Olympic Luge Association President Geoff Balme says their community is delighted that Maggie has been selected for the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
“For our little track in Naseby, the only ice luge track in the Southern Hemisphere and our youth focused programme, the Winter Youth Olympic Games are a realistic pinnacle event,” said Balme.
“As a local girl who first rode on our track as a four-year-old this is a wonderful achievement and we are very proud of her. She has worked very hard over the past few months in Europe and with the support of the coaches from the International Luge Federation she got the reward she wanted and deserved. We wish her all the best in Korea.”
A photo of Dowling is available here.
Alpine:
Wiggins and Meikle have both been selected in the technical discipline of Slalom, with additional starting options in Giant Slalom, Super G and Alpine Combined.
Hemi explained, “It means a lot to me to be selected to the Youth Olympic team, it is my first time representing New Zealand and it’s going to be a good opportunity to get myself out there, I hope that I can do well and make New Zealand proud.”
Hemi hopes to inspire the next generation of Kiwi alpine ski racers and reminded them to “keep working hard and always enjoy it, it’s one of the most important things!”
Both Charlotte and Hemi will be coming into the Games off a successful domestic season here in New Zealand and are currently preparing in their Northern Hemisphere bases.
A photo of Meikle is available here & a photo of Wiggins here.
Snow Sports NZ CEO, Nic Cavanagh said; “I would like to extend my congratulations to Hemi and Charlotte. They have both worked exceptionally hard and I look forward to watching them wear the fern and represent NZ with pride when they race in South Korea in January.”
NZOC CEO Nicki Nicol also extended her congratulations to the athletes.
“Well done to all three athletes named to the team,” said Nicol.
“I know a huge amount of work has gone in to getting the athletes to this point and I wish them all the best as they put the final touches on their preparations ahead of what’s going to be a fantastic celebration of sport and culture in just over a month’s time.”
The alpine competition will begin on January 21st at the Jeongseon High1 Ski Resort.
The luge competition will begin on January 20th at the Alpensia Sliding Centre.