Former Tauranga Boys' College decathlete Brent Newdick is heading to the London Olympics after being selected to represent New Zealand at this year's games.

The 27-year-old was announced as part of the 185-strong team from New Zealand travelling to the Olympics, one of the largest teams ever sent to an Olympic Games from New Zealand.

Former-Tauranga Boys' College student Brent Newdick has just been named as part of the NZ Olympic team.

Decathletes compete for the highest total score in ten separate track and field events.

London will be the first Olympics for Newdick who has represented New Zealand at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and secured a silver medal in the men's decathlon at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

Heptathlete Sarah Cowley and track cyclist Rushlee Buchanan were also announced as competitors completing the team.

The 185 athletes bound for London 2012 equals that of Beijing 2008 in size and is much greater than the team of seven athletes representing New Zealand at the London Olympic Games in 1948.

New Zealand Olympic Committee secretary general Kereyn Smith posted on www.olympics.org.nz that they are delighted to have named the full Olympic Team.

'London will be a significant games for New Zealand,” says Kereyn.

'We anticipate that with 185 athletes we'll be among the top twenty largest teams at the games. We have our 100th Olympic medal in our sights and I'm confident New Zealand's athletes will make Kiwis in both the UK, and back home in New Zealand, proud.”