More than 100 children took part in events at Barfoot and Thompson Stadium with Olympic rugby sevens player Forbes, boxer Pritchard, weightlifter Richie Patterson and swimmer Melissa Ingram taking part in the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Olympic Movement.

Football, karate and basketball skills were enjoyed as the Olympic stars inspired the 10 to 13-year-old participants in an event organised by the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC).

Pritchard, a Commonwealth Games featherweight bronze medallist at Gold Coast 2018, claimed getting children active and having fun through sport is the perfect way to mark Olympic Day.

"It’s brilliant to have so many kids trying Olympic sports, celebrating the Olympic values and making new friends, bringing people together is what the Olympic movement is all about," she said. 

"There are definitely some budding Olympians in this bunch so I’d say New Zealand’s Olympic future is in good hands!"

The sports day formed part of NZOC's commitment to engaging young New Zealanders with sports, education and the Olympic Games.

NZOC education manager Rob Page claimed that getting young people to try a variety of sports was hugely beneficial.

"We see them really light up and get involved with the activities and make the most of the chance to meet Olympic athletes," he said.  

"This kind of opportunity is great for their fitness and also really makes a difference with goal setting and motivation."

As part of their Olympic anniversary celebrations, NZOC acknowledged one of the Movement's founding fathers, New Zealander Leonard Cuff.

Cuff first met Baron Pierre de Coubertin in Paris in 1892 and was one of 13 people to sign the founding documents of the Olympic Movement in 1894, becoming one of the first IOC members.

The sports administrator, who represented New Zealand in athletics in the late 19th century,

NZOC is active in more than 1,000 schools with curriculum based educational resources supporting teachers with values-based teaching across a number of subject areas.