Hawke's Bay to give golden twins a grand welcome

KENT BLECHYNDEN/Fairfax Media

RED CARPET: Gold medal-winning twins Caroline and Goergina Evers-Swindell will arrive in their hometown to a grand welcome.

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Hawke's Bay is set to welcome home its gold medal winning residents Georgina and Caroline Evers-Swindell with open arms, a red carpet and a permanent marker to their Olympic achievement.

Napier and Hastings are going to turn it on for the twins on Saturday, in recognition of their back-back double sculls rowing successes.

The Hastings parade will end with a civic reception hosted by Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule, who said a bronze statue, a korowai (cloak), as well as naming a street or a park after the Evers-Swindells had been considered to showcase their efforts.

Mr Yule told Hawke's Bay Today that one of the new parks which the council planned to build in the central business district with cash from the sale of Nelson Park could bear the twins' name.

"The achievements of Caroline and Georgina are truly remarkable.

"They are two of New Zealand's most successful sportspeople and the community wants to congratulate their win in style,' Mr Yule said.

Napier City Mayor Barbara Arnott said the community would be rapt at getting another chance to celebrate the twins' achievements.

"We turned out in our droves four years ago, and their feats at winning back-to-back gold medals will see thousands of people turning up to welcome them again,' she said.

The Napier parade starts at 10.15am at the Civic Square followed by the Hastings Parade, about 11.30am.

-NZPA