Rising Kiwi Triple Jumping Brothers Set For Showdown At The Sir Graeme Douglas International

The two longest New Zealand male triple jumpers in history – siblings Welre and Ethan Olivier – are set for an eagerly anticipated showdown at the Sir Graeme Douglas International presented by Harcourts Cooper & Co at the Trusts Arena in Auckland on Sunday 10 March.

Between them the South African-based brothers bettered the senior men’s triple jump record on three occasions last year with Welre, 21, bounding out to 16.48m in Potchefstroom last February to break the 45-year-old record of 16.22m held by Phil Wood.

The following month Welre bettered his mark with a 16.59m effort before younger brother, Ethan, 18, upstaged his older sibling by capturing the national senior record – and simultaneously U20/U19 and U18 New Zealand records - with a 16.67m mark in Brussels last June.

Coached by their father, Wikus, a former South African record-holder and Commonwealth Games representative, Welre and Ethan spent their formative years raised in Auckland.

However, Wikus decided to relocate back to South Africa for family reasons and the siblings are now based there where Ethan and Welre are both students at the University of Potchefstroom. Both brothers are New Zealand citizens and have committed their future to the Black Singlet. Ethan finished fourth for New Zealand at the 2022 World U20 Championships in Colombia.

As part of their New Zealand tour both siblings will open their competitive campaign at the ITM in Christchurch (24 Feb) before heading north to Auckland for a McKinnon Shield meet on 2 March. The duo will then target the Sir Graeme Douglas International Presented by Harcourts Cooper & Co before wrapping up their competitive programme in Aotearoa by competing at the Jennian Homes New Zealand Track & Field Championships in Wellington 14-17 March.

Both have ambitions to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics with Ethan also eligible to compete at the World Athletics U20 Championships which take place in Lima, Peru in August.

Welre said: “We are really excited to be in New Zealand competing in front of the home fans. We have heard a lot about the Sir Graeme Douglas meeting, and we look forward to putting on a good show and help raise the profile of triple jumping in New Zealand.

Auckland-born Ethan added: “Some of my earliest memories of athletics came when living in Auckland as a small child, so we are so pleased to return and compete here at the city’s premier athletics meet. I have some big goals in 2024 and hopefully the Sir Graeme Douglas International can help act as a launchpad for a fulfilling year.”

*We expect to announce ticket details plus the finalised timetable for the 2024 Sir Graeme Douglas International presented by Harcourts Cooper & Co very soon.

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