New Zealand Team Celebrates Most Successful Ever Olympic Games
The New Zealand Team is celebrating its most successful ever Olympic Games with the team finishing with 20 medals made up of 10 gold, seven silver and three bronze. The total eclipses the previous best of eight gold won at the Los Angeles 1984 and is equal to the 20 medals won at Tokyo 2020. The success sees New Zealand sitting at 11th on the medal table.
204 athletes from 23 sports represented New Zealand at the Games, with injury additions during the Games increasing the team size from its original size of 195 athletes.
Dame Lisa Carrington was one of the standout athletes of the Games. Already the New Zealander with the most Olympic gold medals, Carrington added another three golds to her collection in Paris, taking her overall count to a staggering eight gold and one bronze. She led the K4 team to a thrilling fightback over the last 60m for gold, teamed with Alicia Hoskin for a dominant win in the K2 500m and dominated the blue riband K1 500m. She leaves Paris having won the same number of Olympic golds as Usain Bolt.
Ellesse Andrews also cemented her status as an Olympic great, becoming a double Olympic champion as she won gold in the keirin and the sprint. Andrews also won silver as part of the women’s sprint relay team. Her gold medal in the keirin was New Zealand’s first track cycling gold since Sarah Ulmer in 2004.
Lucy Spoors and Brooke Francis, both already Olympic medallists from previous campaigns, combined to win gold in the women’s double scull. It was made even more special given each of the athletes had taken time away from the sport to have a child post Tokyo. Both of their children were in the stands cheering them on as they won gold.
Lydia Ko created more history as she made it three medals in the golf from three Olympics. Ko played smart golf on the final day to wrap up the gold medal (and a place in the LPGA Hall of Fame), and, as always, was a model of good sportsmanship as she cheered on her opponents.
Finn Butcher excited New Zealanders with his powerful and skilful efforts in the canoe cross event and brought pride to his hometown Alexandra and to the rest of New Zealand as he took gold.
New Zealand also claimed its first-ever high jump medal as Hamish Kerr triumphed in a dramatic jump-off that had the Stade de France and everyone watching at home on the edge of their seats.
The women’s sevens team, who oozed purpose, vigour and skill and were again a step ahead of the rest of the field to take gold. It was a fitting send off for several key team members who announced their retirement from the sport.
Medals came from across nine sports with podium finishes from athletics, canoe sprint, canoe slalom, golf, rowing, rugby sevens, sailing, track cycling and triathlon.
Not all noteworthy performances ended with medals. Against some legends of swimming Erika Fairweather made individual finals in the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle and led the 4 x 200m relay team into the final. She’s the first New Zealand swimmer to make four finals at one Olympics.
Sam Gaze and Sammie Maxwell were impressive in the mountain biking and Aaron Gate in the velodrome. Tim Price’s sixth in the equestrian three-day event, and 19-year-old speed climber Julian David making it to finals also provided fantastic moments and memories.
New Zealand Team Chef de Mission Nigel Avery thanked the athletes for their performances and the way they represented New Zealand.
“I’ve been extremely proud of the way our athletes have conducted themselves both on and off the field of play,” said Avery.
“There has been a huge amount of Manaaki from our team towards the other nations and it’s been great to see them showcasing our values and culture.
“We also want to thank New Zealanders for their support of our team. We have felt it from over here and we are looking forward to returning home to share the success and continue to inspire the next generation of athletes.”
New Zealand Team Stats:
204 athletes from 23 sports
20 medals: 10 gold, 7 silver, 3 bronze
Most ever gold medals by a New Zealand Team
New Zealand’s most successful ever day at the Olympics with three gold medals (high jump, K1 500, women’s golf) won on Saturday, August 10th
Nine medal winning sports
New Zealand’s first ever high jump medal
New Zealand’s most successful track cycling campaign (2x gold, 2x silver, 1x bronze)
New Zealand’s largest ever pole vault team with three athletes, Imogen Ayris, Eliza McCartney, Olivia McTaggart
Lydia Ko completes her set of medals, with gold (Paris 2024) silver (Rio 2016), bronze (Tokyo 2020)