Buildings born out of the Christchurch rebuild are beginning to attract major sporting events to the city once again.
The garden city will play host to the Special Olympics National Summer Games in 2025.
It will bring around 1300 athletes to compete in Christchurch's top sports facilities.
It's a special day for Special Olympics in Canterbury with Christchurch chosen to host the 2025 Special Olympics National Summer Games.
"It's just been an absolute honour being part of Special Olympics Canterbury," said athlete leader Amani Matthews-Mulipola.
Matthews-Mulipola competes in the games and said her favourite part is the people.
"Just meeting new friends and communicating with them," she said.
Friends who'll be coming to her hometown to compete in three years' time. It's a boost for the city which hasn't hosted this event since 2005.
"We've come so far since the earthquakes and we're going to be the newest old city, so it's going to be amazing for us to be able to tell the Christchurch story and show it off," said Christchurch City Council head of recreation, sports and events Nigel Cox.
And it's showing off Christchurch's new sports facilities too.
"So we'll have Parakiore, the facility where most of the sports will be held and Nga Puna Wai," Cox said.
Currently under construction, Parakiore will be the largest aquatic and indoor recreation venue of its kind in Australasia. And organisers are looking forward to being in the garden city too.
"It's just so great to be able to come back here after so many years and be able to experience all the great new facilities that have been built," said Special Olympics New Zealand CEO Carolyn Young.
Putting Christchurch back on the map for major sporting events.
