Canterbury official will be poolside at Paris Olympics

When Christine Cassin began officiating swim meets almost 20 years ago, she could never have imagined where it would lead.

From representative meetings to the international stage at world championships and events, next month will see her officiate at the pinnacle of global sport – the Olympic Games.

Cassin, from Lincoln, is the only New Zealander who will be a poolside official at the Paris games, testimony to the high regard and reputation she has forged during her time in the sport.

Northland’s Ross Gillespie will be a referee at the open water events at the games, while his wife Carlrine will be poolside at the Paralympics, which follow the Olympics.

Cassin is one of only two Canterbury officials in Paris alongside Gareth Greenfield who will umpire hockey in what will be his first Olympic Games.

“This is the ultimate goal, and to have actually achieved it at this age is very special,” 65-year-old Cassin said.

“I was almost speechless, it’s a real privilege to have been chosen.”

Every four years the international technical officials’ referee list is renewed.

Cassin is currently in her third and final four-year term, which lasts until the end of 2026.

“Once you turn 65 you can’t apply to go on a list. I was 64 when I applied.”

Poolside, Cassin is one of 32 officials who will be involved in a number of tasks from checking a swimmer’s start and finish, ensuring they are doing the strokes and kicks correctly to monitoring the call room before athletes come out to the pool.

Cassin never swam competitively but developed a passion for the sport through her children Holly and Ashley who were competitive swimmers.

In 2010, she became a regional referee and a national referee two years later.

In 2015, she successfully applied for one of New Zealand’s six positions on the World Aquatics international technical officials list.

She officiated at the 2015 (Singapore) and 2017 (United States) world junior champs and the 2019 and 2023 World Aquatics championships in South Korea and Japan respectively.

Cassin will be in Paris for 12 days, nine of those spent at the swimming events at the Paris La Défense Arena, a multi-purpose indoor arena developed by rugby club Racing 92 which opened in 2017.

The Olympics will be the first time swimming and water polo events will be held at the venue.

The arena has the world’s largest interactive giant screen, with innovative technology and 1400m² of display area (equivalent to seven tennis courts).

A Wharenui club member, most of her weekends are spent officiating.

"We have competitions pretty much every other weekend, so it’s quite full-on.

"I’m on the Swimming Canterbury West Coast technical committee and I’m the technical representative on our events committee, so I’m reasonably involved in planning of our calendar and going to those meets.

“It can be quite a commitment time-wise, but I do love the involvement. Swimming is everything, it’s my passion.”