High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ) have unveiled a new strategy to invest in New Zealand’s sporting landscape, through a $273 million deal to expand the nation’s performance pathways in elite competitive sport.

On top of the aforementioned figure, there will be an additional $31.2 million invested in government funding through the Sport Recovery Package.

HPSNZ chief executive, Michael Scott, said the deal is aimed to reduce the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, and also with an eye on producing the best athlete’s for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which are most likely to be held in Brisbane.

“This new strategy had its beginnings in the 2032 High Performance System Strategy, which was developed through extensive consultation and collaboration with people across the high performance system,” Scott said.

“We are now setting out the first four years of that 12-year journey.

“The strategy also outlines a new vision for HPSNZ, inspiring performance every day, which reflects the effect high performance sport has in bringing New Zealanders together and inspiring us as individuals in our daily lives.

“With Brisbane now the preferred candidate to host the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the prospect of these events so close to home gives us an added reason to work hard on improving our system and the success it can deliver.

“Brisbane 2032 could be an amazing celebration of high performance sport in New Zealand,” he said.

Scott also said the funding will make way for NPSNZ to invest in a wider range of sports that can make sport more representative of the nation in general.

“We are excited to be evolving our funding model and introducing an aspirational fund that will open up opportunities for a wider range of sports with the potential to inspire New Zealanders through their performances or where we can work with them to improve podium potential,” Scott said.

“We’ll be investing $27.6 million in this fund between 2022 and 2024, with a view to extending it into our next four-year strategic period,” he said.