New Zealand canoe slalom athlete Luuka Jones has been selected for her fifth Olympic Games, and will be joined by fellow paddler Finn Butcher who has been selected for his first Games.
35-year-old Jones and 28-year-old Butcher were officially named to the New Zealand Team for Paris 2024 at a function today at Auckland’s Vector Wero White Water Park.
Jones, who won silver at the Rio 2016 Olympics, will become just the third New Zealand woman (behind Dame Valerie Adams and Barbara Kendall) to compete at five editions of the Games.
“To be going to my fifth Olympics is crazy,” said Jones.
“It’s something I never dreamed of as a kid but I’m extremely grateful for the career that I’ve had and the experiences that I’ve had.”
Jones will head into the event in hot form, having last year won World Cup gold in Paris in the new Olympic discipline of kayak cross. The event sees four athletes compete at the same time, starting the race from a ramp above the water.
“It’s like a demolition derby. It’s really physical – you’re jostling for position the whole way down the course, there is so much going on and it’s really exciting.
“We grew up paddling plastic boats and being out on rivers in New Zealand, so we’re kind of used to that discipline already.”
In early 2022, Jones was diagnosed with long Covid and was forced to take the year off training and competing. She returned to the competition circuit in 2023.
“I’ve loved being back on the water and I’m feeling healthy and good to go.”
Alexandra’s Finn Butcher will join Jones in Paris. Butcher grew up in Central Otago and began paddling aged nine at a ‘have a go’ day on a local river and immediately fell in love with the sport, developing into an elite athlete over the years.
Butcher was the New Zealand K1 reserve for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and has continued to improve his ability and world ranking since then. At the 2023 World Championships, he gained the Olympic quota spot for New Zealand, finishing 13th in K1 and 11th in Kayak Cross.
“It’s pretty special for me,” said Butcher.
“It’s going to be amazing to go to the Olympics and represent my community and all the people who’ve helped me on my journey. To have the fern on my chest is going to be unreal.”
NZOC CEO Nicki Nicol extended her congratulations to the athletes.
“We’re a proud nation when it comes to water sports and canoe slalom is no exception,” said Nicol.
“At Rio 2016 we saw a historic medal, a silver medal, our first ever in this sport, and we’re extremely pleased that Luuka is joining us for another campaign.
“With Finn also selected there’s a great mixture of experience and new talent in this team so we can’t wait to watch these athletes compete in Paris.”
The Olympic canoe slalom competition will be held from July 27th to August 5th at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium.