Seventeen-year-old Raukawa Jefferies has been picked to represent the country in karate at the Games this October in Argentina's capital.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Rebecca Jones will compete in archery after being inspired by hit film The Hunger Games and winning her age group category at the 2018 Oceania Youth Archery Championships.

New Zealand has never previously sent an athlete to the Games in either sport, although karate has not featured in the Youth Olympics before.

"I'm pretty amped and really excited to represent New Zealand at the Youth Olympic Games," said Jefferies who, similarly to Jones, gained his place after winning his age group category at the Oceania Karate Championships.

"I've been training for this for two years.

"I went to Croatia and Bulgaria for tournaments which was pretty awesome and I've been training six mornings a week, Monday to Saturday, then I do either gym or speed work every weekday after school."

Karate is also set to make its debut at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, so Jefferies will no doubt have his sights set on a place at that event too.

Sports new to the Olympic programme are often trialled at youth level before they debut at the Summer or Winter Olympic Games and New Zealand Olympic Committee chief executive Kereyn Smith said she is "delighted" that the country will have an athlete competing in Buenos Aires.

"It's fantastic for us to have a Kiwi among the very first to compete in the new Olympic sport," she said.

"We've got two years until the Tokyo Olympic Games and the Youth Olympic experience will give both Raukawa and his support team an important insight.

“We look forward to working with New Zealand karate athletes into the future and congratulate Raukawa on his achievement."

Jones meanwhile, will compete in the archery competition having been inspired to take up the sport after watching Hollywood film The Hunger Games six years ago.

Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss Everdeen who is skilled with a bow and arrow.

"I idolised Katniss Everdeen when I watched The Hunger Games," Jones said.

"I wanted to shoot like her so I joined an archery club with my school friend and loved it more than I expected, right from the very beginning."

Karen Moffatt-McLeod from Archery New Zealand has publicly congratulated Jones on her achievement.

"Rebecca tackles every challenge head on, both sporting and academic," she said. 

"She has strong mental fortitude and did an amazing job to gain qualification. 

"She will represent New Zealand extremely well at the Youth Olympic Games."

The 2018 Youth Olympic Games, which will take place from October 6 to 18, will be the third edition of the summer event.

It has previously been held in Nanjing in 2014 and Singapore in 2010.

The Games is considered a chance for the world's most promising young athletes to develop while allowing them to gain experience in a multi-sport games environment.