Olympic discus thrower Connor Bell has quietly relocated to Bethlehem, bringing one of New Zealand’s top field athletes into the Tauranga community as he balances elite sport, study, and a more grounded training base.

The 24-year-old national record holder in the discus throw, who has represented New Zealand at the Olympic Games and World Athletics Championships, moved to Tauranga earlier this year after competing at the Tokyo World Championships, where he placed 10th.

After a short holiday with his partner Bridget, Bell initially spent time in Whangārei before settling in Tauranga in mid-to-late January - a move he said was influenced by both lifestyle and training logistics.

“We moved down to Tauranga mainly because my partner got a really cool job working for SLR, and my coach lives in Pāpāmoa, so it’s really convenient for both,” he said.

Bell said the change has provided a good reset after a busy international season.

He is coached by Kirsten Hellier, one of New Zealand’s most respected throws coaches, and continues to be part of High Performance Sport New Zealand’s wider support system.

Despite stepping back slightly from full competition load this year, Bell’s résumé already places him among the country’s most successful field athletes. He holds multiple New Zealand age-group records as well as the senior national record and has competed at major events including the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.

In 2023, he broke the national discus record twice, ultimately extending it six times as a senior, pushing it to 69.51 metres in 2025 in the United States.

“Being an individual sport, people think it’s just you,” he said. “But really, I’ve got a whole team behind me - coaches, physios, nutritionists, psychologists. They all contribute to those performances.”

Olympic discus thrower Connor Bell with his Olympic medal. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Bell said one of the biggest shocks of competing at the Olympics was not the competition itself, but the intensity of global attention surrounding it.

“There was so much media presence and build-up, and then afterwards everyone just moves on really quickly,” he said. “That was a big learning for me - how fast the world moves on from big moments.”

Now balancing his athletics career with full-time study towards a Bachelor of Science in psychology with Massey University, Bell said he is deliberately taking a slightly quieter year as he adjusts to life in Tauranga and prepares for future goals, including the 2027 World Athletics Championships.

His interest in psychology is closely tied to both sport and broader systems such as emergency communications and human performance under pressure.

“I’m really interested in how people make decisions in high-pressure environments and how systems can be designed to reduce error and improve performance,” he said.

Bell also spends time giving back to the community, visiting local schools through New Zealand Olympic Committee ambassador work, where he shares his journey from a small rural school in Waitoki to the world stage.

“I talk about how sport gave me confidence when I was struggling socially at school,” he said. “It’s about showing kids that you can come from anywhere and still achieve big things.”

For now, Tauranga offers a quieter base for one of New Zealand’s most recognisable throwing talents — with training, study, and community engagement all forming part of his next chapter.

“I’ve had some really special moments in my career already,” he said. “But I’m still building.”