…Surpassing Expectations and Demonstrating their Exceptional Athleticism, Dedication.

The absence of New Zealand from the world map displayed during the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics may have been perceived as a slight to the nation, particularly considering its impressive performance, ranking 11th on the medal table with 10 gold and 20 total medals.

The justification provided, stating that the map represented the five inhabited continents and Australia represented Oceania, could potentially be seen as a source of irritation for New Zealanders, given the intense sporting rivalry between the two nations.

The omission was particularly notable as New Zealand had achieved its best-ever Olympic performance, surpassing nations significantly larger in population, such as Canada and Spain, in terms of gold medal count.

New Zealand’s per-capita medal tally was remarkable, with one gold medal for every 533,890 people and one medal of any color for every 258,000 people, placing it third on the per-capital medal table, behind Dominica and St. Lucia, which both secured one gold medal despite having significantly smaller populations.

Furthermore, it is noteworthy that 14 of the 20 medals won by New Zealand in Paris, including eight gold medals, were achieved by women or women’s teams, showcasing the nation’s strength in female athleticism.

In recognition of New Zealand’s achievements, British monarch King Charles commended the Kiwi performances in a letter addressed to New Zealanders from Buckingham Palace.

“From the rugby field to the velodrome, the team ably and successfully demonstrated the grit and spirit of true Olympians — and true Kiwis,” the king said.

“It has been enormously impressive to see just how extraordinarily successful your athletes have been in securing New Zealand’s highest gold medal count at a single Olympics to date and I hope that all of New Zealand shared in my joy at witnessing the wonderful sporting culture of this great nation on the world’s stage.”

The New Zealand delegation had to wait several days to secure their first medal, a gold medal won by the women’s sevens rugby team. Hayden Wilde was considered a strong contender to win the men’s triathlon and maintained the lead until the final meters when he was surpassed by Alex Yee from Great Britain. As a result, the New Zealand athlete secured the silver medal.

Furthermore, Brook Francis and Lucy Spoors collaborated to win the gold medal in the women’s double sculls rowing event, while Finn Butcher achieved victory in the men’s kayak cross competition.

“I’m just super, super proud of all our work and to be able to bring this medal back to New Zealand,” Butcher said on his return to New Zealand on Wednesday. “We’re just really, really proud to be part of the New Zealand team and to be part of that success.”

In the second week of the competition, there was a remarkable surge in the acquisition of gold medals. Lisa Carrington, an exceptional athlete in women’s sprint kayaking, secured three gold medals, elevating her total count to an impressive eight gold medals across three Olympic Games. Additionally, Alicia Hoskin and Ellesse Andrews each achieved two gold medals in kayaking and women’s sprint track cycling, respectively.

Hamish Kerr attained a gold medal in the men’s high jump event. This triumph was the result of his American opponent, Shelby McEwan, declining an opportunity to share the gold and opting for a jump-off to determine the sole gold medalist.

Lydia Ko, a prodigious golfer, clinched the women’s golf gold medal, thereby completing her collection of medals, having previously won silver in Rio de Janeiro and bronze in Tokyo. This remarkable achievement also secured her induction into the LPGA Hall of Fame at the remarkable age of 27.

New Zealand surpassed its previous record of eight gold medals, which was set at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. In those games, New Zealand placed eighth on the medal table, amidst the Soviet boycott. Subsequently, the nation secured seven golds and 20 medals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and 18 medals at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

A significant number of New Zealanders experienced sleep deprivation during the Games due to the 10-hour time difference between New Zealand and Paris. This resulted in many events being held late at night or in the early hours of the morning New Zealand time.









Following the conclusion of the Olympics, The Times newspaper of London posed the question “Who Won The Olympics?” and identified New Zealand as the overachiever of the Games.

“Athletes from New Zealand logged an impressive haul of 20 medals at Paris 2024, despite having a population of just over 5 million. Their rate of one medal per 258,000 people is the best among nations to win at least four this summer,” the Times said.

The New Zealand government has decided against holding an official national celebration for the Olympic success, as the athletes will not be returning home in large groups. Despite this, large crowds gathered at Auckland airport to welcome the returning athletes.

“I’ve been extremely proud of the way our athletes have conducted themselves both on and off the field of play,” New Zealand chef de mission Nigel Avery said. “There has been a huge amount of manaaki (the Māori word for hospitality) from our team towards the other nations and it’s been great to see them showcasing our values and culture.”