I’ve recently been elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee which is an amazing opportunity for me to be involved in Olympic sports at the highest level. As there are only fifteen athletes out of 115 members I feel privileged as now I have the chance to meet face to face with world sporting leaders and are able to influence some of the big Olympic issues!
New Zealand board sailing queen, Barbara Kendall is one of three new members elected to the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee. (IOC) Barbara’s appointment was announced at the recent 123rd IOC Session.
She explains what it means...
Olympic boardsailing gold medallist Barbara Kendall has been elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in South Africa today.
A veteran of five Olympic Games, Kendall won gold in 1992, silver in 1996 and bronze in 2000. She was fifth in Athens in 2004 and sixth in Beijing in 2008 before retiring from competition in 2010.
The 43-year-old was voted in on the final day of the IOC's four-day session in Durban and received 73 votes in her favour and only nine against in the secret ballot.
A former windsurfing champion from New Zealand, a canoeing official from Spain and Argentina's national Olympic committee chief are in line to become members of the IOC. The IOC executive board on Wednesday nominated three new members for election at the International Olympic Committee general assembly in Durham, South Africa, in July. The candidates are: Barbara Kendall, who competed for New Zealand in windsurfing at five Olympics and won a gold medal in 1992, Argentina Olympic Committee president Gerardo Werthein and International Canoe Federation president Jose Perurena.
On 1 March 2011, Barabara Kendell will be joining the Hump Ridge team and leading a special guided walk around the track. A legendary kiwi mum and Olympic gold-medal winning boardsailer, Barbara Kendall has success and motivation oozing out of her! "Shayne and I are really looking forward to the experience of walking the Hump Ridge Track in March - come and join us, I know we will all have alot of fun!!!"
NZ Herald: Even in Poland, Barbara Kendall was famous and now a young Polish boardsailor is keen for the name of Kosinska to rate up there with Kendall in New Zealand windsurfing. The Poles have some of the best sailors in the world; their men took gold and silver at the 2010 world championships. One of their former champions, Natalia Kosinska, now calls New Zealand home and aims to represent her adopted country at the London Olympics in 2012.
"Even in Poland Barbara Kendall was a guru when I was young," recalls Kosinska. "I don't know if I can be the next Barbara - but I certainly want to try."
Triple Olympic medallist, Barbara Kendall was one of six women honoured at a NZ Olympic Committee function on Thursday night at the Heritage Hotel. The six women were all Gold medalists at Olympic Games, starting with Yvette Williams (1952, Long Jump), Barbara Kendall (1992, Windsurfer), Sarah Ulmer (2004, Track Cycling), Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (2004 and 2008, Rowing) and Valerie Vili (2008, Shot Put).
Yachting New Zealand has two new Life Members including the first woman and youngest ever to be bestowed the honour in New Zealand. At the 56th Annual General Meeting of Yachting New Zealand, held on Saturday 2nd October 2010, it was announced that Barbara Kendall (MBE) and Ralph Roberts (MBE and JP) have been appointed Life Members of yachting’s national sports body. The honour, which comes after a recommendation from the YNZ’s Board of Directors to the AGM, recognises exemplary service to Yachting New Zealand and in the interests of yachting generally.
I’ve recently been elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee which is an amazing opportunity for me to be involved in Olympic sports at the highest level. As there are only fifteen athletes out of 115 members I feel privileged as now I have the chance to meet face to face with world sporting leaders and are able to influence some of the big Olympic issues!
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