Story: Olympic and Commonwealth games

Australasian team, London, 1908

Australasian team, London, 1908

An Australasian team represented New Zealand and Australia jointly at the 1908 London Olympic Games. The New Zealanders in the team wore a special crest with a kiwi and silver ferns placed below the Australian coat of arm, and emu and a kangaroo. These Olympics were the first to have a formal opening ceremony. The team marched behind the Australian flag, but New Zealand hurdler Henry Murray (standing fourth from right) was the flag bearer. The other New Zealanders in the team were the walkers Albert Rowland (standing third from left) and Harry Kerr (standing fourth from left). Kerr won the bronze medal in the 3,500-metre track walk.

Using this item

New Zealand Olympic Museum – He Pataka Taumahekeheke, New Zealand Olympic Committee

This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page:

Joseph Romanos, 'Olympic and Commonwealth games - The early days of the Olympics', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/37885/australasian-team-london-1908 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Joseph Romanos, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 1 Jun 2023