New Zealand to send largest ever team to Beijing Olympics

New Zealand will send a record-sized team of 182 athletes to the Beijing Olympic games next month. The New Zealand Olympic Committee was able to finalise the team after the men's basketball side failed in their qualifying tournament campaign at Athens over the weekend.

182 athletes is in excess of the previous biggest team (of 150 participants) at the 2000 Sydney Olympics while in Athens in 2004, the number fell to 148. The inclusion of 18-strong men's and women's football squads, both making their Olympic debuts, has boosted numbers considerably.

Men's and women's hockey teams add 32 more to the mix while swimming and cycling both provide 17 athletes each.