New Zealand at the 1996 Summer Olympics
New Zealand competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, United States. The New Zealand Olympic Committee was represented by 97 athletes and 60 officials. Former Olympic swimmer Dave Gerrard was the team's chef de mission. Archery. New Zealand sent only one archer to Atlanta. He was defeated in the first round. Athletics. Track and road. Badminton. New Zealand sent two women to compete in two competitions of the Olympic Badminton tournament. Canoeing. New Zealand sent one man to compete in one canoeing event. Cycling. Mountain bike. Mountain biking was introduced as  an Olympic discipline for the 1996 Games. The two strongest women, Kathy Lynch and Mary Grigson, gained New Zealand two qualifying positions for the Olympics; no New Zealand men qualified. Grigson accepted an offer to race for Australia—she competed for them at the Olympics in 1996 and 2000—and left New Zealand, so the New Zealand Mountain Bike Association decided to nominate just one competitor for the New Zealand Olympic team. Equestrian. Eventing. New Zealand entered three competitors in the mixed individual eventing event; two men and one woman. New Zealand also competed in team eventing. Rowing. New Zealand  qualified five boats for the 1996 Summer Olympics: men's single sculls, men's pair, men's coxless four, men's lightweight double sculls, and women's double sculls.