Olympics: New Zealand team report card

Hamish Bond and Eric Murray celebrate after winning gold in the final of the men's pair. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The debate will soon ignite over where to splash high performance cash in the wake of the London Olympics.

Andrew Alderson looks at the efforts of the incumbent targeted sports and three contenders competing for taxpayer investment with swimming, triathlon most obviously under pressure.

TOP SIX TARGETED SPORTS

ROWING
Best success: Men's pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond remained unbeaten through a complete Olympic cycle. Rare and emphatic.
Worst disappointment: Women's quadruple sculls caught a crab and split an oar blade in repechage as they headed towards a final.
Expectations: Five to six medals but perhaps only two gold.
Reality: Three gold and two bronze. New Zealand's greatest cumulative medal haul for a sport at a Games. Second only to canoeing 1984 (four gold).
HP investment this cycle: $19.2 million (22 per cent of $87. 8 million high performance investment budget)
2016 prospects: Comprehensive development programme in place from Maadi Cup to under-23 level. Expect a new generation of Olympics heroes.
Overall: 9/10

Overall: 7/10

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THE CONTENDERS

EQUESTRIAN
Best success: Team bronze medal behind the moneyed might of Germany and Britain but ahead of Sweden, Australia and the US.
Worst disappointment: No individual medals.
Expectations: Individual and team medals because of the home-away from- home nature of Britain and no quarantine restrictions.
Reality: One bronze. Individual medal remains elusive for Nicholson with fourth in seventh Olympics.
HP investment this cycle: $4.2 million (5 per cent)
2016 prospects: At 28, Jock Paget showed his class and composure to finish 10th. Jonelle Richards (31) also has potential with a 32nd.
Overall: 7/10