NZ Herald Focus Sport's Cheree Kinnear wraps the Tokyo Olympics news as Dame Valerie Adams while bronze and Lisa Carrington looks set for a golden blitz. Video / NZ Herald
At the halfway point of the Tokyo Olympic Games, New Zealand's overall medal prospects changed drastically across 48 hours.
Two days ago, Kiwis could have been forgiven for being quietly disappointed with their medal haul of four medals and just one gold at the end of day six.
Associated Press (AP) released a full list of medal predictions a few days before the Games started, and tipped New Zealand to win a whopping 17 medals - eight gold, five silver and four bronze.
But on Friday, New Zealand doubled their medal haul through rowing and tennis.
Thomas Mackintosh, Hamish Bond, Tom Murray, Michael Brake, Daniel Williamson, Phillip Wilson, Shaun Kirkham, Matt Macdonald and Sam Bosworth celebrate winning the men's eight gold. Photo / AP
Four medals in one day, including three in the space of an hour had New Zealand flying up the medal table and living up to lofty expectations, and yesterday's efforts followed suit.
But how are New Zealand tracking overall with one week left, and can the Kiwi Olympic team beat Rio's 18 medals to make Tokyo 2020 New Zealand's most successful Olympic Games campaign?
AP predicted New Zealand would win five rowing medals and they did - just swap the men's pair who were bizarrely slated by AP for bronze, for the men's eight, who weren't expected to be on the podium but finished right at the very top.
New Zealand's sevens teams were right where AP placed them - a silver for the men behind Fiji and one very well deserved gold for the Black Ferns.
A tear drops from New Zealand's Shiray Kaka, right, as she hugs teammate Michaela Blyde after winning gold in women's rugby sevens at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Photo / AP
The three bronze medals were surprises to even the most knowledgeable tipper - Hayden Wilde in the men's individual triathlon, Marcus Daniell and Michael Venus in the tennis doubles and Dylan Schmidt in the men's trampoline delighting a nation with their appearances on the podium.
Bronze medalist Dylan Schmidt, of New Zealand, poses for a photo during a medal ceremony after men's trampoline gymnastics at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Photo / AP
Boxer David Nyika is guaranteed a medal, it's just a matter of what colour, so we can technically say that New Zealand has 11 medals.
But who's yet to compete and will they have a medal around their necks?
The obvious omission of the Games so far is canoe sprinter Lisa Carrington, who doesn't start her heats until Monday. She's predicted by AP to win three golds at this Games - in the K1 200m, K1 500m and in the K2 500m with partner Caitlin Regal. It's a gruelling schedule for the 32-year-old, who's also competing in the K4 500m, so three golds is a tough ask but she's a clear favourite to defend her 2012 and 2016 Olympic titles in the K1 200m.
There's also the Kiwi sailors who are all at various stages of competition - Blair Tuke and Peter Burling are looking like they're in decent medal contention going into the medal race, leading the event – but only just.
The other sailing medal AP predicted was Josh Junior in the Finn class, who is still a chance, but perhaps a more likely medal at this stage would be from the men's 470 partnership of Dan Willcox and Paul Snow-Hansen.
Laurel Hubbard (weightlifting) and Tim Price (eventing) are both tipped for medals, but it's a little too early to know how they're tracking - Price made an excellent start to his eventing campaign though and could possibly lead the New Zealand equestrian team to a medal as well.
And who could forget the shot putters - Tom Walsh and Valerie Adams both slated for bronze by AP.
Adams got underway in her qualifying round on Friday night, an 18.83m throw automatically sending her to this afternoon's final. Four competitors threw over the 19m mark in qualifying, so Adams will need to have a step up if she wants to find herself on the podium.
Full Kiwi schedule below. Click on a name to see athlete's bio, upcoming events, past Games performance and medal chance.
There's some underdogs still to come, with medal chances sitting with athletes like Lydia Ko, and the great team of track cyclists who could bag a few medals.
Also keep an eye out for New Zealand's emerging talent - shot putter Maddi Wesche and high jumper Hamish Kerr both making their finals in their first Olympic Games.
With the way the Kiwis have been tracking so far, there's every chance that New Zealand will outperform the experts with a record medal haul in Tokyo.
