KEY POINTS:
Given the number of fourth placings New Zealanders claimed two years ago at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games, the media, jokingly, awarded "tin medals" to those who had just failed to make it to the dais.
Had that been carried over to the Beijing Olympics, New Zealanders would have laid claim to five such medals.
Those near-misses in the Chinese capital were swimmer Moss Burmester (200m butterfly), double scullers Rob Waddell and Nathan Cohen, BMX star Sarah Walker, rising cycling hope Alison Shanks and kayaking's former silver medallist Ben Fouhy.
While the honours, deservedly, went to the nine medallists, there were 23 other top 10 performances from the 183-strong New Zealand team.
Some sports, notably equestrian, badminton, taekwondo and weightlifting failed to even make the "top half" target set by Sparc and the NZ Olympic Committee, while the team sports never looked likely to get anywhere near the medals with the women's hockey team failing to win a match and the women basketballers winning only their first game.
ATHLETICS
Adrian Blincoe, 5000m, 7th 2nd heat 13m 55.27s dnq (27th overall).
James Dolphin, 200m, 6th 8th heat 20.98s dnq (37th overall).
Stuart Farquhar, javelin, 76.14m dnq (20th overall).
Beatrice Faumuina, discus, 12th group B 57.15m dnq (28th overall).
Liza Hunter-Galvan, marathon, 35th 2h 34m 51s.
Nina Rillstone, marathon, 16th 2h 31m 16s.
Kimberley Smith, 5000m, dns, 10,000m, 9th final 30m 51.00s.
Valerie Vili, shot put, 1st 20.56m.
Rebecca Wardell, heptathlon, 23rd (100m hurdles 14.07s, high jump 1.71m, shot put 14.28m, 200m 24.64s, long jump 5.84m, javelin throw 42.14m, 800m 2m 13:65s) 5989pts.
Nick Willis, 1500m, 2nd 1st heat 3m 36.01s, 5th 2nd semifinal 3m 37.54s, 3rd final 3m 34.16s.
BADMINTON
John Moody, singles, lost 1st round to Jin Chen (China) 21-9, 21-11.
Craig Cooper, Renee Flavell, mixed doubles, lost 1st round to Yong Dae Lee/Hyo Jung Lee (Korea) 21-12, 21-11.
BASKETBALL
Suzannah Bates, Teresa Bodensteiner, Micaela Cocks, Jillian Harmon, Aneka Kerr, Angela Marino, Jessica McCormack, Kate McMeeken-Ruscoe, Charmaine Purcell, Natalie Purcell, Lisa Wallbutton, Nonila Wharemate, 5th in group B dnq, beat Mali 76-72, lost to Spain 85-62, lost to China 80-63, lost to Czech Republic 90-59, lost to USA 96-60.
CANOEING
Steven Ferguson, K1 500m, 4th 1st heat 1m 37.538s, 1st 2nd semifinal 1m 42.238s, 8th final 1m 38.512s.
Ben Fouhy, K1 1000m, 3rd 1st heat 3m 33.037s, 2nd 1st semifinal 3m 33.542s, 4th final, 3m 29.193s.
Luuka Jones, K1 slalom, 21st 272.365secs (52secs penalties); 1st run 20th, 2nd run 16th.
Erin Taylor, K1 500m, 6th 1st heat 1m 52.517s, 5th 2nd semifinal 1m 54.300s dnq.
Ferguson/ Michael Walker, K2 1000m, 4th 2nd heat 3m 19.167s, 2nd 1st semifinal 3m 23.511s, 6th final 3m 15.329s.
CYCLING
BMX
Sarah Walker, 4th final 38.805s
Marc Willers, dnq for final.
MOUNTAIN BIKING
Rosara Joseph, cross-country, 9th 1h 51m 07s.
Kashi Leuchs, cross-country, 24th 2h 06m 30s.
ROAD/TRACK
Glen Chadwick, individual road race, 82nd at 15m 53s.
Catherine Cheatley, individual road race, 53rd at 8m 44s; points race 17th, 0pts.
Julian Dean, individual road race, 54th at 10m 37s.
Tim Gudsell, individual road race, dnf.
Greg Henderson, points race, 10th, 13pts.
Joanne Kiesanowski, individual road race, 28th at 55s.
Hayden Roulston, 2nd 4000m individual pursuit, 2nd in qualifying 4m 18.990s, 1st round (4m 19.232s) bt Taylor Phinney (US), lost final (4m 19.611s) to Bradley Wiggins (GBR) 4m 16.977s. .
Alison Shanks, 4th 3000m individual pursuit, 4th in qualifying (3m 34.312s), 1st round (3m 32.478s) bt Sarah Hammer (USA), bronze ride-off (3m 34.156s) lost to Lesya Kalitovska (UKR) 3m 31.413s.
Henderson/Roulston, 10th madison, 5pts.
Sam Bewley, Westley Gough, Peter Latham, Roulston, Marc Ryan, Jesse Sergent, 3rd 4000m team pursuit, 2nd in qualifying 3m 59.277s, 1st round (3m 57.536s) bt Spain (lapped), bronze ride-off (3m 57.776s) bt Australia (3m 59.006s).
EQUESTRIAN
Bruce Goodin, showjumping, 54th qualifying round 26 penalties, dnq.
Katie McVean, showjumping, 71st qualifying round 11 penalties, dnq.
Daniel Meech, showjumping, dns, horse failed vet. inspection.
John Meyer, 3-day eventing 24th 102.10 penalty points.
Andrew Nicholson, 3-day eventing dnf.
Caroline Powell, 3-day eventing 14th 73.20pts.
Mark Todd, 3-day eventing 17th 77.60pts.
Heelan Tompkins, 3-day eventing 50th 138.80pts.
Kirk Webby (replaced Meech), showjumping, 34th qualifying round 24 penalties; eliminated round A 24 penalties (34th overall).
Sharn Wordley, showjumping, 70th qualifying round 72 penalties dnq.
HOCKEY
MEN
Ryan Archibald, Gareth Brooks, Phil Burrows, Simon Child, Ben Collier, Dean Couzins, Steven Edwards, Casey Henwood, Blair Hopping, David Kosoof, Shea McAleese, James Nation, Kyle Pontifex, Brad Shaw, Hayden Shaw, Paul Woolford, beat Korea 3-1, lost to Spain 1-0, bt Belgium 4-2, drew with China 2-2, lost to Germany 3-1, bt Pakistan 4-2 (7th-8th play-off).
WOMEN
Stacey Carr, Jamie Claxton, Tara Drysdale, Gemma Flynn, Krystal Forgesson, Jo Galletly, Sheree Horvath, Lizzy Igasan, Beth Jurgeleit, Emily Naylor, Kim Noakes, Caryn Paewai, Niniwa Roberts, Kate Saunders, Kayla Sharland, Anita Wawatai, lost to Japan 2-1, lost to Germany 2-1, lost to Great Britain 2-1, lost to USA 4-1, lost to Argentina 3-2, lost to South Africa 4-1 (11th-12th play-off).
ROWING
Mahe Drysdale, single sculls, 1st 2nd heat 7m 28.80s, 1st 4th quarter-final 6m 50.18s, 3rd 2nd semifinal 7m 05.57s, 3rd final 7m 01.56s.
Emma Twigg, single sculls, 1st 2nd heat 7m 45.18s, 3rd 4th quarter-final 7m 34.24s, 4th 2nd semifinal 7m 38.09s, 3rd B final 7m 51.63s.
George Bridgewater, Nathan Twaddle, coxless pair oar, 1st 3rd heat 6m 41.65s, 2nd 1st semifinal 6m 36.05s, 3rd final 6m 44.19s.
Caroline Evers-Swindell, Georgina Evers-Swindell, double sculls, 1st 1st heat 7m 03.92s, 1st final 7m 07.32s.
Nathan Cohen, Rob Waddell, double sculls, 1st 1st heat 6m 24.32s, 3rd 1st semifinal 6m 24.16s, 4th final 6m 30.99s.
Peter Taylor, Storm Uru, lightweight double sculls, 1st 4th heat 6m 16.78s, 4th 2nd semifinal 6m 30.53s, 1st B final 6m 27.14s.
Nicola Coles, Juliette Haigh, coxless pair oar, 2nd 1st heat 7m 31.45s, 1st 1st repechage 7m 32.64s, 5th final 7m 28.80s.
Hamish Bond, James Dallinger, Carl Meyer, Eric Murray, coxless four, 2nd 2nd heat 6m 00.73s, 4th 1st semifinal 5m 57.31s, 1st B final 6m 06.30s.
SAILING
Jo Aleh, Laser Radial, 7th (22nd, 4th, 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 14th, 14th, 14th, 20th; 7th medal race) 90pts. Thomas Ashley, RS:X (sailboard), 1st (4th, 7th, 7th, 1st, 5th, 5th, 3rd, 6th, 8th, 32nd; 3rd medal race) 52pts.
Barbara Kendall, RS:X (sailboard), 6th (12th, 7th, 12th, 4th, 2nd, 4th, 3rd, 6th, 13th, 21st; 6th medal race) 75pts.
Andrew Murdoch, Laser, 5th (2nd, 5th, 40th, 20th, 24th, 5th, 5th, 17th, 1st; 1st medal race) 81pts.
Daniel Slater, Finn, 12th (21st, 19th, 18th, 4th, 9th, 7th, 13th, 6th, 76pts.
Peter Burling/Carl Evans, 470, 11th, (7th, 10th, 14th, 12th, disq, 10th, 22nd, 12th, 1st, 7th) 95pts.
Hamish Pepper/Carl Williams, Star, 9th (4th, 9th, 2nd, 11th, 1st, 12th, 11th, 13th, 5th, 11th; 7th medal race) 80pts.
SHOOTING
Robert Eastham, 50m smallbore rifle, prone, 14th 594pts/600 dnq.
Graeme Ede, trap, 20th 114pts/150 dnq; double trap, 19th 113pts/150 dnq.
Nadine Stanton, trap, 10th 63pts/75 dnq.
Yang Wang, 10m air pistol, 39th 571pts/600 dnq.
SOCCER
MEN
Michael Boxall, Jeremy Brockie, Greg Draper, Daniel Ellensohn, Simon Elliott, Craig Henderson, Ian Hogg, Sam Jenkins, Chris Killen, Liam Little, Sam Messam, Ryan Nelsen, Steven Old, Cole Peverley, Aaron Scott, Jacob Spoonley, Cole Tinkler, Shaun Van Rooyen, drew with China 1-1, lost to Brazil 5-0, lost to Belgium 1-0 dnq.
WOMEN
Jenny Bindon, Abby Erceg, Anna Green, Amber Hearn, Kristy Hill, Rachel Howard, Katie Hoyle, Emma Kete, Renee Leota, Emily McColl, Hayley Moorwood, Marlies Oostdam, Ria Percival, Ali Riley, Merissa Smith, Rebecca Smith, Rebecca Tegg, Kirsty Yallop, drew with Japan 2-2, lost to Norway 1-0, lost to United States 4-0 dnq.
SWIMMING
Moss Burmester, 100m butterfly 6th 6th heat 52.67s dnq; 200m butterfly, 3rd 4th heat 1m 55.80s, 4th 1st semifinal 1m 55.26s, 4th final 1m 54.35s.
Elizabeth Coster, 100m backstroke, 4th 7th heat 1m 00.66s 1, 8th 2nd semifinal 1m 01.45s dnq.
Melissa Ingram, 100m backstroke, 2nd 4th heat 1m 01.24s dnq; 200m backstroke, 3rd 4th heat 2m 09.34s, 6th 1st semifinal 2m 09.70s dnq.
Dean Kent, 200m individual medley, 7th 5th heat 2m 01.12s dnq.
Helen Norfolk, 200m individual medley, 6th 5th heat 2m 13.50s dnq; 400m individual medley 8th 3rd heat 4m 44.22s dnq.
Glenn Snyders, 100m breaststroke, 7th 8th heat 1m 00.90s dnq; 200m breaststroke, 2nd 4th heat 2m 11.19s, 8th 1st semifinal 2m 12.07s dnq.
Corney Swanepoel, 100m butterfly, 2nd 8th heat 51.78s, 6th 2nd semifinal 52.01s dnq.
Daniel Bell, Cameron Gibson, Snyders, Swanepoel, 4x100m medley relay, 3rd 2nd heat 3m 34.09s, 5th final 3m 33.39s.
William Benson, Gibson, Mark Herring, Orinoco Faamausili-Banse-Prince, 4x100m freestyle relay, 6th 1st heat 3m 15.41s dnq.
Lauren Boyle, Natasha Hind, Norfolk, Hayley Palmer, 4x200m freestyle relay, disq.
Synchronised
Lisa Daniels, Nina Daniels, duet, 23rd (of 24) 40.250pts.
TAEKWONDO
Matthew Beach, under-80kg, lost 1st round to Liu Xiaobo (China) 4-1 eliminated.
Logan Campbell, under-68kg, lost 1st round to Sung Yu-Chi (Chinese-Taipei) 4-0 eliminated.
Robin Cheong, under-57kg, won 1st round beat Mariam Bah (Ivory Coast) 1-0, lost quarter-final to Linm Sujeong (Korea) 4-1 eliminated.
TENNIS
Marina Erakovic, lost 1st round singles to Ayumi Morita (JPN) 7-5 6-7 (7-9) 4-6.
TRIATHLON
Bevan Docherty, 3rd 1h 49m 05.59s.
Andrea Hewitt, 8th 2h 00m 45.99s.
Kris Gemmell, 39th 1h 53m 49.47s.
Shane Reed, 34th 1h 52m 48.16s.
Debbie Tanner, 10th 2h 01m 06.92s.
Sam Warriner, 16th 2h 02m 13.60s.
WEIGHTLIFTING
Richard Patterson, 77kg, 21st 300kg (snatch 130kg, clean and jerk 170kg).
Mark Spooner, 69kg, 21st 281kg (123kg snatch, 158kg clean and jerk).
