With less than a week until the opening ceremony, few pre-Olympic pledges have been fulfilled.

Every four years, amid the hype in the lead up to the start of the Olympic Games, a mix of astounding and bizarre stories begin to

How Val Adams broke the shackles of a difficult childhood to break sporting barriers and join an elite group of Kiwi athletes.

I just don't believe in the Olympics any more.

I can't name people or countries because I had some death threats a few months ago just for even mentioning the topic around the area.

New Zealand is aiming for 14 medals in Brazil, which would exceed the record-equalling tally of 13 in London (2012) four years earlier.

Equestrian Andrew Nicholson, who turns 55 tomorrow, was removed from the high performance squad and has not agreed to re-integration terms.

Olympians who are hoping to chase Pokemon as well as medals in Rio will be disappointed to find out that the athletes village is Pokemon-free.

What started as an innovative Olympic fundraiser has turned into a humanitarian campaign by New Zealand Olympic kayaker Mike Dawson. The

As part of our build-up to Rio 2016, we're counting down New Zealand's top Olympic towns. Today, number two.

To push through hours of mind-numbing swim training Cameron Leslie repeats his two-word mantra.

In the fifth and final part of the Herald series Making of a Olympian, the spotlight falls on Paralympian Cameron Leslie. He's preparing

A knee injury will see Valerie Adams' coach Jean-Pierre Egger miss the Olympic Games.

On the back of English golfer Liz Young competing at the British Open while seven months pregnant, we take a look at some female Olympians

Watch NZ Herald Focus: We discuss safety tips for travel to Rio and athletes at the Olympics must adhere to strict social media guidelines.

Despite the prestige and grandeur that hosting an Olympics brings to a city for the few weeks of coverage, there are few if any economic benefits to hosting the event

New Zealand's bid to send a coxless four to Rio ended with FISA confirming Russia will cobble together a crew.

From ducks on the rowing course to mystery gold medallists, here are 20 unbelievable but true facts about the Olympic Games.

They both won gold medals in their respective fields at London 2012 and are considered to be one of the greatest of all-time in their

How does that old mantra go? If your country's entire track-and-field team gets banned from the Olympics, create your own alternate competition instead?

A handful of Herald reporters spent a day training, eating and sleeping like an Olympian in a chosen sport.

Eleven crews - including the 10th placed Russians - qualified at last year's world championships.

The Australian women's eight will race at Rio with a borrowed boat and oars after Russian boats were withdrawn.

The men's coxless four rowers are the latest New Zealand athletes to be punished by the IOC's abdication of responsibility over Russia's systemic doping.

Bubba Watson is more excited about the chance to be an Olympian than he is about the opportunity to win gold.

A reporter has revealed how she and her cameraman were approached by thieves just an hour after arriving in Rio.

With athletes beginning to pour into Rio de Janeiro for the Olympic Games that begin in less than two weeks, officials admitted yesterday

A giant pipe churns human waste into the waters while rats run freely. Welcome to the Rio marina where our sailors will be racing.

There's another doping scandal brewing at the Rio Olympics and this time it has nothing to do with Russia.

Rowing New Zealand's clinging to a glimmer of hope its mens four may yet head to Rio.