Olympic champion Ellesse Andrews to lead New Zealand cycling team at Commonwealth Games
Wednesday, 3 June 2026
Olympic triple medallist Ellesse Andrews will anchor a 19-strong national cycling contingent selected for the track events at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.
Andrews, who was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2025 King's Birthday Honours for services to cycling, enters her third Commonwealth Games following a historic performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. In Paris, she became the first national rider to claim Olympic gold in both the individual sprint and keirin, alongside a team sprint silver with Shaane Fulton and Rebecca Petch.
The upcoming campaign returns the track squad to a happy hunting ground at the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. The Scottish venue was the site of an 11-medal performance by national track cyclists at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, as well as the 2023 world championships where Andrews became the first New Zealand rider to win an individual world championship sprint gold with her victory in the keirin.
“We have a strong team of proven performers and emerging talent focussed on strong execution,” Cycling New Zealand high performance manager Ryan Hollows said, in a statement announcing the squad, as well as noting the Games are a vital stepping stone for the national programme's long-term goals.
“We’re grateful Commonwealth Sport has kept the Games alive and it remains a key event for us as we look towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Summer Games.”
Andrews leads a women's sprint squad that includes team starter Petch, who recently returned to the sport following the birth of her son, and Paris 2024 reserve Olivia King. Sam Dakin, who has announced his retirement following the event, is the sole male sprinter selected.
The wider New Zealand team also marks a historic milestone for the sport, integrating Para-cyclists into a combined track cycling team for the first time at a Commonwealth Games. The Para-cycling squad features Waikato trio Nicole Murray, Devon Briggs and Emma Foy, competing alongside pilot Jessie Hodges.
The endurance squads feature a mix of established international experience and new talent. National road champion Ally Wollaston joins Bryony Botha and Emily Shearman in the women's endurance pack, alongside newcomers Samantha Donnelly and Prudence Fowler.
The men's endurance group includes Olympians Keegan Hornblow, Nick Kergozou, George Jackson and Tom Sexton, who are joined by debutants Marshall Erwood and Daniel Morton.
New Zealand Olympic Committee chief executive Nicki Nicol acknowledged the squad's selection and the country's extensive legacy in the sport, which includes 93 medals since the London 1934 British Empire Games.
The team will travel to the UK for a final training camp ahead of the Games opening on July 24 (NZ time).
NZ cycling squad for Glasgow 2026
Sprint: Ellesse Andrews, Olivia King, Rebecca Petch, Sam Dakin.
Endurance: Marshall Erwood, Keegan Hornblow, George Jackson, Nick Kergozou, Daniel Morton, Tom Sexton, Bryony Botha, Samantha Donnelly, Prudence Fowler, Emily Shearman, Ally Wollaston.
Para-cycling: Devon Briggs, Nicole Murray, Emma Foy (with pilot Jessie Hodges).