Hamish Kerr is representing NZ in High Jump
From road cycling and hockey to canoe slalom and rowing, Massey University has a massive presence in this year’s New Zealand Olympic team heading to Tokyo.
As of yet, 84 of the 138 confirmed athletes in the New Zealand team have a Massey connection.
Both of the flag bearers, Hamish Bond and Sarah Hirini selected earlier this month, hold Massey qualifications.
Hamish Bond graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Business and is returning for his third Olympics after winning gold in the men’s rowing in London 2012 and Rio de Janerio 2016.
Sarah Hirini completed her Bachelor of Arts majoring in Maori Studies in 2017. She is now heading to the Olympics as captain of New Zealand’s Women’s Rugby Sevens team after previously winning Silver in Rio.
Hamish Kerr graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor of Agribusiness and is representing New Zealand in High Jump. Finishing a degree the year before an Olympics is no easy feat and Hamish thanks Massey’s flexible learning offerings that helped him balance sport and study.
“Massey was the perfect fit for me, with its willingness to support athletes to achieve their dreams in the sporting arena.
“Their distance programme is perfect for athletes who are on the road, and without Massey, there is no way I would have been able to gain a qualification while competing."
The strong Massey representation in this year’s Olympics team is no coincidence says High Performance Coordinator Tamara Scott-Valath.
“Massey University offers students a unique flexibility that no other university in New Zealand provides which means it can be tailored to the life of a high-performance athlete.”
She says with a combination of either on-campus, off-campus or mix-mode study options, and either full-time or part-time study, athletes can fit their studies around their sporting commitments and change it to accommodate particular sporting events.
“We understand that sport and study are a delicate balance and we’re here to help them realise both goals without compromising either.”
Massey University wishes their 84 students and alumni and all the athletes heading off to Tokyo to represent New Zealand all the best.