The Kavanagh College pupil was, as expected, named in the New Zealand squad for the world junior championships in Germany in August.
O'Leary won silver in the quad at the same event last year, and won the premier single sculls at the Maadi Cup this year to confirm his status as one of the brightest prospects in the country.
He was also named yesterday as one of three New Zealanders to compete at the Youth Olympics in China.
He and the women's coxless pair of Jackie Gowler and Renee Olley will row in Nanjing after the world junior championships finish in Hamburg.
''Representing New Zealand in the single has always been a goal of mine,'' O'Leary said.
''I'm really excited and not quite sure what to expect out of it but I'm sure it's going to be an awesome learning curve. It's definitely my long-term goal to get to the Olympic Games one day.''
The 21-strong New Zealand squad for the world junior championships was selected after a week-long trial at Lake Karapiro.
Crews will compete in the women's quadruple scull, women's coxless four, men's coxed four and men's quadruple scull.
The team will assemble and train at Lake Karapiro at the Rowing New Zealand High Performance Centre for six weeks from June 8. O'Leary and other rowers will become temporary pupils at St Peter's School, in Cambridge.
The young New Zealand rowers will compete in Germany against 600 top athletes from 50 nations.
Otago University rower Hannah Bailey is a travelling reserve.
