Marked New Zealand's first Olympic appearance and the only two occasions Australia and New Zealand competed as a single combined team.
Key Facts
- Total competitors
- 30
- Events contested
- 20 events in six sports
- New Zealand athletes
- 3 (Harry Kerr, Henry Murray, Albert Rowland)
- Australia's Olympic appearance
- Fourth consecutive Summer Games
- Flag flown
- Australian red ensign
- DNS competitors (tennis)
- 2 nominations not received by organisers
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Australia had participated in every Summer Olympics since the Games' modern revival, while New Zealand had not yet competed independently. Administrative arrangements between the two nations led to the formation of a combined Australasian delegation for the 1908 London Games, reflecting closer colonial ties in that era.
The combined Australasia team, comprising 30 athletes, competed across 20 events in six sports at the 1908 London Olympics. Three New Zealanders — Harry Kerr, Henry Murray, and Albert Rowland — joined the predominantly Australian squad. The team carried the Australian red ensign and represented what was both New Zealand's Olympic debut and Australia's fourth Games.
The Australasia combined team arrangement was repeated at the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, after which Australia and New Zealand began competing as separate nations at every subsequent Summer Games. The 1908 Games thus marked the first and one of only two occasions the two countries would appear under a unified Australasian banner.
Result
at 1908 Summer Olympics, London