New Zealand competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twenty-fourth appearance at the Olympics. The New Zealand Olympic Committee sent 184 athletes, 97 men, and 87 women to the Games to compete in 16 sports, the nation's largest ever delegation.
New Zealand left London with a total of thirteen medals (six gold, two silver, and five bronze), finishing fifteenth in the overall medal standings. This was considered one of the nation's most successful Olympics, winning the second-largest number of gold medals behind eight at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and tying with the 1988 Summer Olympics for the largest number of medals. Five of these medals were awarded to the team in rowing, three in cycling, two in sailing, and one each in athletics, canoeing, and equestrian. Among the nation's medallists were rower Mahé Drysdale, who won gold in the men's single sculls, and track cyclists Sam Bewley, Marc Ryan, and Jesse Sergent, who managed to repeat the bronze from Beijing in men's team pursuit. New Zealand also ranked highly in medal tables adjusted for country populations, placing fourth for total medals per capita, gold medals per capita and weighted medals per capita.
During the Games, New Zealand achieved its one hundredth overall Olympic medal. The gold medal was won by kayaker Lisa Carrington in the women's K-1 200 metres. However, if the three medals won by New Zealand athletes in 1908 and in 1912 as part of Australasia were included, the one hundredth medal would be the silver claimed by sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke from the open skiff class.
Originally, New Zealand won five gold medals: three in rowing, one in sailing, and the last canoeing. On 13 August 2012, however, the International Olympic Committee stripped Belarusian shot putter Nadzeya Ostapchuk of her gold medal after testing positive for anabolic steroid metenolone. On 19 September 2012, silver medallist Valerie Adams was subsequently awarded and received her gold medal at a public ceremony in Auckland.
Medal tables
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Medal Name Sport Event Date Joseph Sullivan Rowing Men's double sculls Eric Murray Rowing Men's pair Rowing Men's single sculls Athletics Women's shot put Polly Powrie Sailing Women's 470 class Canoeing Women's K-1 200 m Blair Tuke Sailing 49er class Cycling Women's BMX Mark Todd Equestrian Team eventing Rebecca Scown Rowing Women's pair Aaron GateWestley GoughMarc RyanJesse Sergent Cycling Men's team pursuit Storm Uru Rowing Men's lightweight double sculls Cycling Men's keirin
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Medals by sportSport TotalRowing3025Sailing1102Athletics1001Canoeing1001Cycling0123Equestrian0011Total62513
Medals by dateSport Total 28 July0000 29 July0000 30 July0000 31 July0011 1 August0011 2 August1001 3 August2013 4 August0011 5 August0000 6 August1001 7 August0011 8 August0101 9 August0000 10 August1102 11 August1001 12 August0000Total62513
Medals by genderGenderTotal Male 3 1 3.67.6 Female 3 1 1.45.4 Total62513
Delegation The New Zealand Olympic Committee selected a team of 184 athletes, 97 men and 87 women, to compete in sixteen sports. It was the nation's largest delegation sent to the Olympics, surpassing the 182 athletes at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Field hockey and football were the only team-based sports in which New Zealand had representatives at the Games. For the first time in Olympic history, New Zealand did not qualify teams in basketball since its official debut in 2000. There was only a single competitor in judo, shooting, tennis, and weightlifting.
The New Zealand team featured past Olympic medallists, including the defending champion Valerie Adams in the women's shot put event. Equestrian eventing rider Mark Todd, at age 56, the oldest member of the team, became the first New Zealand athlete to compete in eight Olympic games. Todd's compatriot Andrew Nicholson was at his seventh appearance, having participated in the Olympics since 1984 (except the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he was not selected). Meanwhile, football player Cameron Howieson, at age 17, was the youngest member of the team. Other notable New Zealand athletes featured rower and five-time world champion Mahé Drysdale in men's singles sculls, triathlete and double Olympic medallist Bevan Docherty, BMX rider Sarah Walker, who missed out of the medal standings in Beijing, and sailors Hamish Pepper and Peter Burling. Middle-distance runner Nick Willis, who won New Zealand's first Olympic track medal in Beijing since 1976, was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
Originally, New Zealand officiated a total of 185 athletes to compete at the Olympics. On 20 July, middle-distance runner Adrian Blincoe, however, withdrew from the games because of an ankle injury.
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The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games. Note that reserves in fencing, field hockey, football, and handball are not counted as athletes: SportMenWomenTotalAthletics 4 4 8Boxing 0 2 2Canoeing 4 4 8Cycling 13 9 22Equestrian 3 3 6Field hockey 16 16 32Football 18 18 36Judo 0 1 1Rowing 15 11 26Sailing 9 6 15Shooting 1 0 1Swimming 8 8 16Taekwondo 2 1 3Tennis 0 1 1Triathlon 3 3 6Weightlifting 1 0 1 Total 97 87 184
Athletics
Men Track & road events AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankQuentin Rew50 km walkcolspan=4 3:55:0330Nick Willis1500 m3:40.921 Q3:34.703 Q3:36.949
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionStuart FarquharJavelin throw82.323 Q80.229
Combined events – Decathlon AthleteEvent 100 m 400 m 1500 mFinalRankBrent NewdickResult11.107.3615.091.9650.2215.0246.154.7059.824:38.20798812Points838900795767804847791819735692
Women Track & road events AthleteEventHeatSemifinalFinalResultRankResultRankResultRankLucy van Dalen1500 m4:07.048 q4:06.9711Did not advanceKim SmithMarathoncolspan=4 2:26:5915
Field events AthleteEventQualificationFinalDistancePositionDistancePositionValerie AdamsShot put20.401 Q20.70
Combined events – Heptathlon AthleteEvent 200 m 800 mFinalRankSarah CowleyResult13.951.8012.3725.606.0041.902:19.01587326Points985978686833850704837
Key Note–Ranks given for track events are within the athlete's heat only Q = Qualified for the next round q = Qualified for the next round as a fastest loser or, in field events, by position without achieving the qualifying target NR = National record N/A = Round not applicable for the event Bye = Athlete not required to compete in round
Boxing
Women AthleteEventRound of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankSiona FernandesFlyweightL 11–23Did not advanceAlexis PritchardLightweightW 15–10L 4–22Did not advance
Canoeing
Slalom
New Zealand has qualified boats for the following events AthleteEventPreliminarySemifinalFinalRun 1RankRun 2RankBestRankTimeRankTimeRankMichael DawsonMen's K-190.12888.58688.588 Q207.6315Did not advanceLuuka JonesWomen's K-1109.2310258.6920109.2315 Q121.4114Did not advance
Sprint
Men AthleteEventHeatsSemifinalsFinalsTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankBen FouhyK-1 1000 m3:35.6102 Q3:32.5726 FB3:34.71014Steven FergusonDarryl FitzgeraldK-2 1000 m3:16.6084 Q3:15.3073 FA3:12.1177
Women AthleteEventHeatsSemifinalsFinalsTimeRankTimeRankTimeRankLisa CarringtonK-1 200 m41.4012 Q40.528 OB1 FA44.638Teneale HattonK-1 500 m1:56.7416 Q1:54.5045 FB1:56.10315Lisa CarringtonErin TaylorK-2 500 m1:44.8703 Q1:42.7644 FA1:46.2907 Qualification Legend: FA=Final A; FB=Final B; OB=Olympic best
Cycling
Road AthleteEventTimeRankJack BauerMen's road race5:46:0510Men's time trial54:54.1619Greg HendersonMen's road raceDid not finishLinda VillumsenWomen's road race3:35:5618Women's time trial37:59.184
Track Sprint AthleteEventQualificationRound 1Repechage 1Round 2Repechage 2QuarterfinalsSemifinalsFinalTimeSpeed (km/h)RankOppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)OppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)RankEddie DawkinsMen's sprint10.20170.5819LLDid not advanceNatasha HansenWomen's sprint11.24164.0519LW 11.88260.595LW 11.44362.920Did not advance9th place finalL12
Team sprint AthleteEventQualificationSemifinalsFinalTimeSpeed (km/h)RankOppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)RankOppositionTimeSpeed (km/h)RankEddie DawkinsEthan MitchellSimon van VelthoovenMen's team sprint44.17561.1207 QL 43.495 62.0765Did not advance
Pursuit AthleteEventQualificationSemifinalsFinalTimeRankOpponentResultsRankOpponentResultsRankSam BewleyAaron GateWestley GoughMarc RyanJesse SergentMen's team pursuit3:57.6073 Q3:56.44233:55.952Rushlee BuchananLauren EllisJaime NielsenAlison ShanksWomen's team pursuit3:20.4215 Q3:18.51453:19.3515
Keirin AthleteEvent1st roundRepechage2nd roundFinalRankRankRankRankSimon van VelthoovenMen's keirin2 Q2 QNatasha HansenWomen's keirin3 R2 Q511 R=Repechage
Omnium AthleteEventFlying lapPoints raceElimination raceIndividual pursuitScratch raceTime trialTotal pointsRankTimeRankPointsRankRankTimeRankRankTimeRankShane ArchboldMen's omnium13.112231564:26.5816131:03.2906487Jo KiesanowskiWomen's omnium14.9241622773:44.97111736.3607557
Mountain biking
AthleteEventTimeRankSam BewleyMen's cross-countryKaren HanlenWomen's cross-country1:37:5418
BMX AthleteEventSeedingQuarterfinalSemifinalFinalResultRankPointsRankPointsRankResultRankKurt PickardMen's BMX39.05716317Did not advanceMarc Willers38.6871041 Q268Did not advanceSarah WalkerWomen's BMX38.6442colspan=2 124 Q38.133
Equestrian
Dressage AthleteHorseEventGrand PrixGrand Prix SpecialGrand Prix FreestyleOverallScoreRankScoreRankTechnicalArtisticScoreRankLouisa HillBates AntonelloIndividual65.25848Did not advance
Eventing
AthleteHorseEventDressageCross-countryJumpingTotalQualifierFinalPenaltiesRankPenaltiesTotalRankPenaltiesTotalRankPenaltiesTotalRankPenaltiesRankAndrew NicholsonNereoIndividual45.00210.0045.0090.0045.006 Q4.0049.00449.004Jock PagetClifton Promise44.10=174.8048.90144.0052.9013 Q1.0053.901053.9010Caroline PowellLenamore52.20 #=431.6053.80 #=244.0057.80 #23Did not advance57.8023Jonelle RichardsFlintstar56.70 #556.0062.70 #319.0071.70 #=30Did not advance71.70=30Mark ToddCampino39.1030.4039.5037.0046.507 Q8.0054.501254.5012Andrew NicholsonJock PagetCaroline PowellJonelle RichardsMark ToddSee aboveTeam128.2045.20133.40411.00144.403colspan=3 144.40 "#" indicates that the score of this rider does not count in the team competition, since only the best three results of a team are counted.
Field hockey
As per regulations, each team was made up of 16 players, plus an additional two reserves travelling with the team but not participating.
Men's tournament
Roster
Group play
9th/10th place game
Women's tournament
Roster
Group play
Semi-final
Bronze final
Football
Men's tournament
Team roster
Group play
Women's tournament
Team roster
Group play
Quarter-final
Judo
AthleteEventRound of 32Round of 16QuarterfinalsSemifinalsRepechageFinal / OppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultOppositionResultRankMoira de VilliersWomen's −70 kgL 0002–0010Did not advance
Rowing
Men
Women
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
Sailing
Men AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank12345678910M*JP TobinRS:X1543788126171716967Andrew MurdochLaser1281718171315338875Dan SlaterFinn7111617116158144837Paul Snow-HansenJason Saunders47028DSQ35416379131214865Hamish PepperJim TurnerStar1571136598894705
Women Fleet racing AthleteEventRaceNet pointsFinal rank12345678910M*Sara WintherLaser Radial31232115353191142BFD9EL18520Jo AlehPolly Powrie470262510411218235
Match racing