Four days in and no medals. Don't panic - like Christmas, they will arrive.
But as for hopes of eclipsing the record haul of 13 from the Seoul Olympics in 1988 ... there's as much chance of Rodney Hide pirouetting down the Beehive corridors in tutu and tights singing "I did it My Way".
New Zealand making a slow start at an Olympic - or Commonwealth - Games is nothing new.
In Melbourne two years ago, the Government funding body Sparc tipped 41 medals. New Zealand got nowhere near it.
There has been no big talk this time, more a quiet confidence of what might be achieved, predominantly by high-achieving teams (think rowing) or individuals (come in shot-putter Valerie Vili). When New Zealand has done well, it's been through one or two sports having a belting Games, such as canoeing in 1984, or rowing and equestrian four years later.
The tendency as these multisport extravaganzas get closer, is to become more emboldened in picking numbers. People start looking for bolters.
Bolters and the Olympics go together like bacon and porridge.
There will always be the odd exception, but as sports technological advances speed up, and the age of the superhuman sportsmen and women settles in, the opportunity to sneak under the radar has all but vanished. And sport is the poorer for that.
So when might our Beijing duck-breaker arrive? Possibly this afternoon with Moss Burmester in the 200m butterfly final. But he'll have to swim faster than he's ever done.
More likely, wait until Saturday, when the rowers could be in seven finals, with medal chances across the board, and real hopes of gold in four.
Cycling might pinch a gong or two around the same time before Vili steps into the throwing circle early on Sunday morning.
David Leggat
Photo / Getty Images
Fergus Burke has been named in the Scotland squad for the upcoming Six Nations.