Top NZ athletes find funding in unusual places

Elite New Zealand athletes are going to creative lengths to finance themselves for travel and competitions.

Two high performing sportspeople have revealed they are competing in obscure sports and accepting donations from strangers to support their careers.

Athletes receive some funding from High Performance New Zealand if they are able to meet certain performance targets, but many still struggle to get enough funds to support themselves whilst training.

Decathlete Brent Newdick, a silver medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 12th place finalist at the 2012 London Olympics, stopped receiving funding after sustaining an injury in 2012.

He is now training for the Rio Olympics 2016 while working “nine to ten hours a day” for a water blasting company.

The need to work impacts on his ability to train, creating a catch-22 situation as he needs practice time to reach his goals, and therefore his funding targets.

“[Working] means I’m cutting training hours back. I’m putting a four or five hour training day into two and a half hours after work,” said Mr Newdick.

Mr Newdick has come up with other creative ways to finance his career, including competing in the NZ Gumboot Throwing Championship in 2015.

After taking out the title, he was sent to Rome for the World Boot Throwing Championships later that year, which enabled him to compete in other athletic competitions in Europe.

Joseph Millar, the fastest male sprinter in New Zealand, said he receives just $2000 a year from High Performance New Zealand.

Mr Millar said the funding was not enough for him to travel to overseas competitions and compete with people on his level.

“I can’t develop properly without having the competition there and without going to Australia,” said Mr Millar.

This month, Mr Millar was given $2500 on a local beach by a complete stranger after he heard of his money troubles.

Phil Armstrong, the finance manager of Athletics New Zealand, did not wish to comment on the matter.

Mr Armstrong referred Te Waha Nui to Kat Austin at High Performance New Zealand, the body that funds Athletics New Zealand. Ms Austin also declined to comment.