OLYMPIC fever has hit the Hunter, with family, friends and old club mates cheering on Newcastle athletes in Paris.
Dungog rower Spencer Turrin is competing in the finals on Saturday, and his sister, Sarah, is celebrating in Canberra with extended family, while his wife is in Newcastle expecting to give birth sometime this month.
"We watched the heat with green jelly for dinner while wearing our t-shirts which have Spencer's face on them," Sarah said.
"We're having a party at my cousins on the big screen on Saturday and we're making green and gold food."
Sarah said their oldest brother, sister-in-law, their parents, and work colleagues and supporters travelled to Paris to watch him compete in what could be his last Olympics.
"We're extremely proud of him. He's a very good uncle and we love to just watch him do his thing," she said.
Newcastle Norths Hockey Club have been cheering on club members Matt Dawson and Ky Willott in the Kookaburras men's hockey side by hosting watch parties at the Young Street Hotel last week, and one on Thursday night, August 1, at the Newcastle Hockey Centre.
"We have had two watch parties to cheer the boys along. These two occasions were the only family-friendly game times for events," club spokesperson Damien Lehmann said.
"Moving forward to upcoming games will be dependent on results whether we get to host another watch party."
"It's an exciting time for our club having two of our clubmates off at the biggest sporting event in the world. They are inspiring the next generation of our club and the local hockey community."
"We are very proud of them both and will be cheering them along their Olympic journey."
Three Norths Old Boys were spotted enjoying a beer in Paris to beat the heat, celebrating the Kookaburras win over New Zealand.
Brin Liddell's girlfriend, Selina McCloskey, her family and his family were boarding their flight to Paris on Friday, August 2 ready to watch the Belmont sailor in his first Olympics on August 3.
"I am extremely proud of Brin for making the Olympics this year in the mixed multihull as it's been a dream of his for years," she said.
"In fact, when finishing school in 2020, he wrote his future aspirations were to make the Olympics. I'm so grateful to watch his dreams coming true this year in Marseille."
