Rowing will claim a lot of New Zealand attention at the Olympics on Day eight. The rowing team has already won a gold and a silver, and the single scullers and eights crews will be looking to add to that tally.
Mahe Drysdale has looked in imperious form in the men’s single sculls. He seems to be rowing without inhibition, perhaps having had the weight of expectation lifted from his shoulders with his gold medal in London four years ago.
Emma Twigg has looked almost as impressive in the women’s single sculls. She was only second in her semi-final, but it really looked as if she could have won it if she’d had to. Twigg has a world title to her name and would dearly love to add an Olympic gold.
New Zealand’s men’s and women’s eights will surely be competitive in their finals. They both did well at last year’s world championships and have looked there or thereabouts in Rio.
Golfers Danny Lee and Ryan Fox play the third round tomorrow. Lee rocketed up the leaderboard with his brilliant 65 today. Another round like that and he’d be in a medal position.
At the velodrome Sam Webster completes his men’s sprint duties and Liv Podmore and Natasha Hansen contest the women’s keirin.
The sailors are busy. Blair Tuke and Peter Burling in the 49ers began brilliantly today with two wins and will be looking to increase the pressure. The laser wraps up and Sam Meech is close enough to be in medal contention. Other New Zealand crews competing are finn sailor Josh Junior, the nacre mixed team and the 49er women.
The women’s hockey team, who have struck rich form, take on China. They have already qualified for the quarter-finals, but will be looking to maintain momentum.
Zane Robertson, who ran so well at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014, has a stiff task tomorrow, the 10,000m final. But he has shown he is now cowered even by the talented African distance stars.
Finally, Dylan Schmidt, just 19, competes in the qualifying section of the individual trampoline tomorrow.