It is all change this year in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Twitter charts, with a new champion

change and the growth in follower numbers - are explained in large measure by the bumper crop of 13 new

newcomers to the chart - the highest of whom, Colombia’s Luís Alberto Moreno, enters at four - are new

 After a relatively slow-growing Twitter year, however, during which she added just 5,000 new followers

Zealand BMX rider, is the third-highest new entry.One of the few Olympic medallists to have designed

Also new to the list are Sari Essayah, a member of the Finnish Parliament, Britta Heidemann, the latest

Games medallist Shelley Kitchen has been appointed as high performance programme manager at Squash New

Zealand (SNZ).

as well as gold alongside Leevy at the World Doubles Championships in the same year.Kitchen won four New

Zealand titles in a row from 2005 onwards and was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for

Hosts cities across Japan have today celebrated 1,000 days to go until the 2019 Rugby World Cup as organisers look ahead to what they anticipate to be an important year of preparation in 2017.

formally launching our IMPACT Beyond 2019 legacy programme, an ambitious project to deliver one million new

already been finalised with Argentina, Australia, England, France, Georgia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New

Zealand, Scotland, South Africa and Wales automatically qualified courtesy of finishing in the top three

Ethiopian middle-distance runner Miruts Yifter, a double Olympic champion at the 1980 Games in Moscow, has died in Toronto at the age of 72.

Yifter was unable to compete.It came after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) refused to ban New

Zealand, whose national rugby union team had toured South Africa - banned from the Olympics because

Paralympics New Zealand (PNZ) has received a NZD$550,000 (£308,000/$378,000/€361,000) increase in funding

from High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ), taking core investment up to NZD$2.250 million (£1.260

Paralympics New Zealand is thrilled to have received this commitment from High Performance Sport New

New Zealand won nine gold medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, three of which came courtesy of swimmer

to win multiple gold medals for New Zealand."

The performance of the New Zealand Paralympic team in Rio and the outstanding levels of interest that

New Zealand Para-sport continues to be in a very strong position and we are incredibly excited about

Tongan athlete Pita Taufatofua, who made worldwide headlines after his Opening Ceremony appearance at the Rio 2016 Olympics, has said he still intends to compete in taekwondo despite targeting an unlikely appearance at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games.

Ever since I was a kid my goal was to medal at the Olympics," he told Radio New Zealand."

Australia half-back Cooper Cronk has been named the winner of the 2016 Rugby League World Golden Boot.

the accolade presented annually to the world’s best rugby league player.Australia’s Darius Boyd and New

player of the tournament.The Kangaroos went undefeated through the tournament, which also involved New

Zealand, England and Scotland, to claim the title at Anfield in Liverpool."

Australia have selected 30 athletes to compete at the Sapporo 2017 Asian Winter Games, with the country set to make their debut at the multi-sport event.

“There is always something new to learn and accomplish at every competition and Sapporo will be no different

strong competition and will potentially be a stepping stone towards Olympic competition.”Athletes from New

Zealand and other Pacific Islands are also eligible to compete.They will not be awarded medals, even

The 48 international sides invited to compete at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games have been unveiled today as The Bahamas braces itself to host the event’s largest-ever programme of team sports.

 The men’s tournament will feature Australia, Bahamas, Cyprus, England, Ghana, Jamaica, New Zealand

, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, St Lucia, South Africa and Trinidad and Tobago.Contesting the women’s competition

will be Australia, Bahamas, Cameroon, England, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, St Lucia, Scotland

Soccer World Cup is scheduled to be staged in Bahamas’ capital Nassau.Bahamas, Ghana, Nigeria, Papua New

in general after a game-changing Olympic Games debut at Rio 2016 that reached, engaged and inspired new

Uruguay’s Rio 2016 flagbearer Dolores Moreira Fraschini claimed the girls’ laser radial title at the Youth World Sailing Championships after finishing fifth in the last race on the final day of action in Auckland.

it was down to Poland’s Aleksandra Melzacka and Maja Micinska and sisters Greta and Kate Stewart of New

Zealand for silver and bronze.The siblings had to finish with two boats between them and Melzacka and

where Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallist Peter Burling and Rio 2016 bronze medallist Sam Meech, both of New

Zealand, were among the speakers.

Rio 2016 gold medal winning sprint kayaker Lisa Carrington has been awarded the New Zealand Olympic Committee's

doubt that there was a positive effect having an athlete of Lisa’s calibre in our Team in Rio," added New

Zealand Olympic Chef de Mission Rob Waddell."

Thirty-one National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will send teams to the eighth edition of the Asian Winter Games in Japanese city Sapporo next year, it has been confirmed.

China, South Korea and Kazakhstan.There will also be the added interest of athletes from Australia and New

Zealand competing for the first time.This follows an invitation to Oceania athletes by the OCA, after

high quality winter competition, but restrictions will be placed on them.Athletes from Australia and New

Zealand are eligible to compete ©YOGCompetitors from Oceania will not be awarded medals, even if they

Zealand competing in speed skating and short track.Kuwait, which remains suspended by the International

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has revealed the schedule for February's Women's World Cup qualifier with hosts Sri Lanka drawn with India, Ireland, Zimbabwe and Thailand in Group A.

last chance to earn a spot.Group B features South Africa, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Scotland and Papua New

on day one against Pakistan at the Nondescripts Cricket Club, with Bangladesh colliding with Papua New

Australia, England, New Zealand and the West Indies have already qualified for the World Cup, scheduled

Israel's Yoav Omer and Emma Wilson of Britain secured gold in the boys' and girls' RS:X events respectively as five titles were decided on the penultimate day of racing at the Youth Sailing World Championships in Auckland.

commanding leads at the top of the leaderboards and were able to clinch world titles with a race to spare in New

Zealand water.Wiley Rogers and Jack Parkin of the United States won the boys' 420 crown as they earned

Russia battled to a 9-7 victory over Spain to win gold at the International Swimming Federation (FINA) Women's Youth Water Polo Championships in Auckland today.

crown the victory.Italy won 14-13 against The Netherlands in an even closer bronze medal match in the New

Zealand city.The match was initially tied 7-7 before the Italians eventually broke clear in sudden death.Defending