Olympics: Eventers could ease NZ medal anxiety

Medal-anxious New Zealanders must remain patient and look to the three-day equestrian team to break the Olympic drought.

New Zealand competitors, traditionally slow starters in the Olympic arena, could break through with a first medal in the early hours of Thursday.

Led by 1996 gold medallist Blyth Tait on Ready Teddy, New Zealand hold high hopes in the individual section and the team event, which ends with the showjumping.

They could, however, be beaten to the punch if double-trap shooter Nadine Stanton realises pre-Games expectations in the 15-strong field tomorrow night.

Expectations will heighten for the 150-member New Zealand team on Saturday when, at 6.10am, flag-bearer Beatrice Faumuina should step into the discus circle for her third Olympic final.

Twelve hours later all attention will be on the Schinias Rowing Centre. At 6.50pm, Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell line up in their double sculls final.

They follow other New Zealand medal hopes Sonia Waddell (single sculls) and George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle (pair oar) on to the water.

A little later, the men's coxless four will also chase a medal.

Later on Saturday night, Dean Barker (Finn), Andrew Brown and Jamie Hunt, and Linda Dickson and Shelley Hesson (470s), and the women's Yngling crew of Sharon Ferris, Kylie Jameson and Joanna White will sail the final races of the yachting regatta.

World champion cyclist Sarah Ulmer carries the weight of expectation early on Sunday morning and again early on Monday morning in the 3000m individual pursuit qualification and final.

The second week promises a good return, with hopes in canoeing, triathlon and cycling.

Mistral boardsailors Barbara Kendall and Thomas Ashley end their campaigns on Wednesday night - hours after a hoped-for appearance for Nick Willis in the 1500m final.