Kiwis Win Gold Sitting Down, Except For Rugby

New Zealand has a proud reputation at the summer Olympics for also boxing above its weight. For example, New Zealand earned eight gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles games, three more than Great Britain and—this is a hoot—twice as many as Australia. Suck on that Aussies! I think they did because, at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, they won 14 golds and New Zealand only three.

Over the years, we earned accolades for our middle-distant running: Peter Snell (800 metres twice, 1500 metres), John Walker (one in 1500 metres), Jack Lovelock (1500 metres) all beat the world’s best. Valerie Adams won the shot put in 2008 (Beijing and London (2012). Equestrian Mark Todd also won two golds competing in a record six Olympic Games.

More recently, we have excelled, um, like Mark Todd, sitting on our bums.

At the Tokyo Olympics, we surpassed our record 18 medals to earn 20 (seven gold, six silver and seven bronze), most of them by women (the men’s cox eight were the exception).

I have paid tribute to the sitting down on their bums gold medalists (rowing, canoeing, sailing) plus the women’s 7’s rugby team—go you, good ladies, go! New Zealand was 13th overall in the medal table, not bad for a country of five million people, 26 million sheep and six million cows.

It must be something in the grass!

Here’s my tribute to the fantastic Lisa Carrington (K-1 200 metres, K-1 500 metres and K-2 500 metres with Caitlin Regal); Emma Twig (singles sculls), the men’s rowing eight included Hamish Bond (others Caleb Shepherd, Michael Brake, Shaun Kirkham, Matt Macdonald, Tom Mackintosh, Tom Murray, Dan Williamson, Philip Wilson); Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast (Women’s coxless pair).

Finally, but not least (rugby is our religion, after all), the Black Ferns women’s 7’s rugby team. Portia Woodman, Sarah Hirini (c), Ruby Tui, Tyla Nathan Wong, Theresa Fitzpatrick, Stacey Fluhler, Michaela Blyde, Alena Saili, Risaleaana Pouri-Lane, Kelly Brazie, Gayle Broughton, Shiray Kaka. Travelling reserves: Tenika Willison, Jazmin Hotham, Terina Te Tamaki