After two weeks of gruelling competition, Covid concerns and empty stadium, the 2020 Olympics have come to an end – with a historic result for New Zealand.
Tokyo 2020 saw our athletes cross the 20 medal mark for the first time ever, walking away with seven gold, six silver, and seven bronze medals – good enough to place 13th on the medal table out of the over 200 countries and Olympic committees that took part.
Canoeist Lisa Carrington became New Zealand's most successful Olympian ever, scoring three golds to bring her tally up to six – more than any other New Zealander. Her successes came after some history making from her fellow competitors, with shotputter Dame Valerie Adams the first woman to cross the four medal mark in her fifth Olympic games, while Hamish Bond was the first New Zealander to win gold at three successive games.