Regardless, there's a sense of the cosmopolitan about those donning the silver fern. Immigration sometimes gets a negative press, but prospective Games podium finishes provide a chance to generate community wellbeing.
In a breakdown by sports, there are three footballers, two cyclists, golfers, gymnasts, rowers and sailors, and one athlete, hockey player, rugby player, swimmer, triathlete and weightlifter.
Of the medal contenders, cyclist Linda Villumsen was born in Herning, Denmark, and became a New Zealand citizen in 2009. As defending world champion, the 31-year-old shapes as the time trial rider to beat.
Rower Mahe Drysdale was born in Melbourne. The defending Olympic champion's birth certificate reads Alexander Mahe Owens Drysdale. The 37-year-old's parents visited the Seychelles and enjoyed their time on the main island ... Mahe.
Similarly, the likes of sevens player Akira Ioane (dad Eddie was playing rugby in Japan), BMX rider Trent Jones (his parents were building golf courses in Ireland) and sailors Alex Maloney and Sam Meech (their parents were sailing the world) each returned home.
The main criteria for Olympic selection are that athletes declare they are New Zealand citizens and submit a passport for accreditation processing.
Whatever the rules, the likes of Villumsen, Seoul-born golfer Lydia Ko, Durban-born rower Chris Harris and Cape Town-born hockey player Kirsten Pearce can make a case for the sporting benefits of opening the borders.
New Zealanders love winners.
Personal bests from the likes of Vladivostok-born gymnast Misha Koudinov, Johannesburg-born weightlifter Tracey Lambrechs and Bulawayo-born triathlete Ryan Sissons could also help wave the multicultural flag.
However, the rate of overseas births has reduced from the London Olympics, where more than one in seven (27 out of 185) New Zealand athletes were born elsewhere. That included eight in Britain, five in South Africa and three in Australia. Others were born in India, Zimbabwe, Nigeria and South Korea.
The New Zealand foreign legion
Sportsperson Sport (and event) Birthplace
Nikki Hamblin Athletics (1500m, 5000m) England
Trent Jones Cycling (BMX) Ireland
Linda Villumsen Cycling (road race, time trial) Denmark
Anna Green Football England
Ria Percival Football England
Ali Riley Football United States
Misha Koudinov Gymnastics (artistic all-round) Russia
Dylan Schmidt Gymnastics (trampoline) England
Lydia Ko Golf South Korea
Danny Lee Golf South Korea
Kirsten Pearce Hockey South Africa
Mahe Drysdale Rowing (single sculls) Australia
Chris Harris Rowing (double sculls) South Africa
Akira Ioane Sevens Japan
Alex Maloney Sailing (49er FX) United States
Sam Meech Sailing (Laser) England
Glenn Snyders Swimming (100m, 200m breaststroke) South Africa
Ryan Sissons Triathlon Zimbabwe