New Zealand, Australia and Germany are the only three nations to qualify for all 10 of the track cycling events on offer at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Both men and women participate in the same five events – team sprint, team pursuit, omnium, individual sprint and keirin – with qualifying for the Olympics taking place in events since 2014.
Great Britain missed out on the magic 10, with the women’s team sprint squad missing out on qualification despite finishing fifth at the World Championships in London.
New Zealand came away from the London championships with two medals – gold in the team sprint and silver with Eddie Dawkins in the Keirin.
It’s the first time the Kiwis have qualified for every Olympic track event and coach Dayle Cheatley said it is a reward for the hard work put in since London 2012.
“It is what we have been working towards and it was cemented with some exceptional performances at the world championships in London,” he told stuff.co.nz.
“It is encouragement for our coaches and support staff that they are moving in the right direction and fantastic reward for the riders throughout our entire squad who have all contributed.
“For us it is the first tick in the box. Now the really hard work begins. All the work they have put in to establish this platform will be wasted if we cannot take full advantage from here in.”
