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2012 Team New Zealand News


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The New Zealand team was finalised today with 185 athletes competing in London. It is the biggest team we have sent away to an olympic games. Not bad for a country of 4.5 million people.

New Zealand have introduced though selection standards for these games with athletes having to qualify and also demonstrate that they can achieve a top 16 finish! Several athletes missed out due to not being able to meet this standard.

In terms of our chances for the games I think we are looking better than 4 years ago when we won 3 gold, 2 silver and 4 bronze medals.

Our best chances will come in rowing, cycling and sailing.

I am predicting at least 10 medals at these games, but this could be our best games ever when we won 13 medals in Seoul in 1988.

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Looks like a pretty strong team, aside from the regular medal sports, I'm looking forward to the prospect of an emerging sport to medal for us - BMX perhaps with Sarah Walker.

Pretty stoked today to see Brent Newdick named as one of the last athletes in the team, I went to High School with him. Also be keen to watch my former flatmates girlfriend in action in the rowing - Anna Reymer.

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Thats cool to have connections with the athletes. I hope Brent goes well at the games considering he had to wait so long to be selected!

So if you were to predict the number of medals for New Zealand... What would you predict?

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The New Zealanders have started arriving at the village. So far 44 athletes have checked in.

The photos below show our equestrian team arriving at the village and Mark Todd who will be attending his 7th games receiving his pounamu pendant by Chef de Mission Dave Currie. Its looks like a pretty dull day in London!

561098_10150926250995213_2121588179_n.jpg391319_10150926244125213_2108883385_n.jpg

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Thats cool to have connections with the athletes. I hope Brent goes well at the games considering he had to wait so long to be selected!

So if you were to predict the number of medals for New Zealand... What would you predict?

I think we're gonna jump 10.

I can see these Games being the ones where some of the less high profile (at least to the general pop.) medal. The likes of Sarah Walker, Andrea Hewitt (granted within the sports community they are well known). I think rowing will give a medalist who was not hugely fancied (but with rowing, never a complete surprise).

Though again, I dont think Val is as sure a gold medalist as some have said.

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I think we will bring home more than 10 as well. We have a lot of chances this time. More than for recent games. I would love us to get 14 or more (Infostrada sport has us predicted 5 gold 5 silver and 6 bronze medas!Marlborough Room 1, Level 5 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/london-olympics/medal-table)

I think the rowers will bring home 6 medals and will form the basis of our medal count. I think equestrian will bring home a team medal in the 3 day event, cycling will bag a few, triathlon, kayak, and Valerie will win a medal and it should be gold, but I do agree that Val is not a sure thing in that event! The sailors will win at least one medal (That team overall is looking the strongest for quite a while).

I must say I am starting to get a bit excitied!

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:) I too am not going to get my hopes up above 3 gold, 2 silver, and 6 bronze....All the best to NZ. And you're right, the NZOC selection process is now extreemly, and rightfully, tough these days so this team should get results. I will be upset if there were no gold though. (am wary of Valarie Adams being over-hyped...)
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:) I too am not going to get my hopes up above 3 gold, 2 silver, and 6 bronze....All the best to NZ. And you're right, the NZOC selection process is now extreemly, and rightfully, tough these days so this team should get results. I will be upset if there were no gold though. (am wary of Valarie Adams being over-hyped...)

11 medals would be a pretty good effort as the NZOC are aiming for 10. Adams has a good chance, and remember that the Belarus competitor (Cant remember her name off the top of my head) tends to throw better in her own county and at smaller events. I am weary as well but still think she will win.

Our rowers look really strong though!

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Press Release from the TAB:

New Zealand sports bosses are targeting 10 medals of any colour at the 2012 Games but there are plenty of punters with the TAB who reckon at least half that number will be gold.

When the TAB launched betting on Monday on the number of gold medals, and medals in total, that the Kiwi team would pick up in London, prices were set at $10 for a haul of at least five golds and $7.50 for a total medal tally of 11 or more.

But a plunge from punters positive that New Zealand will win five or more gold medals forced the TAB to shift its price from $10 to $5.50, with the 11-plus overall haul dropping to $5.

“This is possibly the best team we’ve ever sent to the Games and Sport New Zealand’s total medal target of 10 in London could very well be a conservative one,” said TAB bookie Mark Stafford.

“We’ve got about 20 or so decent medal shots overall and high hopes for gold in some events, so clearly punters are taking an optimistic approach.”

Kiwi favourites for gold in London include defending Olympic champion shot putter Valerie Adams ($1.45), red-hot rowers Eric Murray and Hamish Bond ($1.22) and single sculler Mahe Drysdale ($2.20).

“If you look at those three as short-priced favourites for gold and then consider some of the other good chances we have in other events – particularly in rowing – then a haul of five or more golds is a very real possibility,” said Stafford.

“The punters have certainly signalled that they think London will be our golden Games.”

New Zealand’s best tally of gold medals at any Games was eight at Los Angeles in 1984.

“But we need to remember that the Eastern Bloc countries boycotted LA,” said Stafford. “Take that one-off out of the equation and our best-ever gold medal haul since 1908 is three, so to win five or more in London would be an amazing result.”

The TAB has identified three golds in London as the sweet spot at odds of $2.75, with a Kiwi Games disaster – no golds at all – a possible silver lining for punters at odds of $20.

The full range of Games 2012 betting options are available at www.tab.co.nz.

NEW ZEALAND’S GOLDEN GAMES?

Total gold medals

None: $20

1: $6

2: $3

3: $2.75

4: $5

5 or more: $5.50

Total medals overall

0-5: $18

6: $10

7: $5.50

8: $3.75

9: $3.50

10: $5

11 or more: $5

Sorry but the quote button is not working. I personally don't bet much on sport, but I wonder how many are betting on the Olympic Games?

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Am up and awake at 3am New Zealand time and about to watch New Zealand take on Great Britain. It looks a fine day in Cardiff! Go Kiwis and its real cool to be kicking the games off.

The worst thing is that I have to go to work in a few hours!

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The Football ferms has some really good patches throughout the game and were on top of the British.

I think they gave a pretty good account of themselves and they certainly had their chances during the match.

Bring on Brazil and I know they will be targeting Cameroon for a win in their final game.

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This is where Valarie let's herself down (and admits it), by not being a team player...She has an aloofness that wrankles the NZOC, hence why she misses out on such honors.

Nick Willis would be a nice choice.

The Flag Bearer reveal seems to have a pointless mystic about it...Who really cares...Unless your Australia where it has become quite catty!

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Huhh...only 39 athletes will march in tomorrow's Opening Ceremony. NZ CdeM Dave Currie insists that's a" very good number" given the large proportion of the 184 strong team are competing on the opening two days, and other later starters aren't arriving in the village untill closer to week two.

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Day One From New Zealand and the Highlight must be the mens pair setting a new worlds best time in Rowing. Also the Mens Double Sculls had a frantic finish to break the Olympic best time.

The Rowers are looking good.

The Womens Football team held Brazil at 0-0 for over 80 minutes before conceeding a goal. Gutted for them.

Jack Bauer was part of the break away group in Mens Road Race to finish in 10th. Must be new zealand's best result in the mens road race for quite a while! Henderson dropped out with illness.

The swimmers would have to be a bit disappointed with their performance today. Snyders qualified for the semis of 100 breaststroke when he broke a world record. He could not back it up though and was disappointing to finish 15th in the semi finals.

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