Kiwis bring home the goods

The Press

With a medal haul to be proud of, New Zealand enjoyed its best Olympic Games for some time at Beijing, writes TONY SMITH.

 Three gold medals including back-to-back titles for our double sculls dopplegangers and a first medal in a blue riband athletics event for 32 years crowned an outstanding Olympic Games for New Zealand.

Pessimists' worst fears pollution, traffic density and drug scandals were allayed as the Chinese turned on the diplomatic charm in Beijing.

It was a memorable place to be in August for everyone except Chinese imprisoned for protesting the loss of their homes which made way for the massive, modern Olympic precinct.

United States swimmer Michael Phelps, with a record eight gold medals in the pool, and Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, with three world-record golds on the Bird's Nest stadium track, were the undoubted international stars.

But New Zealand had its own heroes too in amassing nine medals, its best Olympic haul since the 10 taken at Barcelona in 1992.

Rowing sisters Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell joined a select band of New Zealand sportspeople to win back-to-back gold medals at an Olympic Games. They stand aside middle distance marvel Peter Snell, kayakers Ian Ferguson and Paul MacDonald, and equestrian eventing ace Mark Todd as double champions.

In one of the greatest photo finishes at an Olympic rowing regatta, the identical twins pipped Germany by 1/100th of a second to emulate their success at Athens in 2004.

The sisters spoke afterwards of coach Richard Tonks' conviction that they could go on to attempt a treble in London in 2012. But it was no surprise when the Evers-Swindells pulled the pin on their glittering careers later in the year.

Timing is everything in sport and the twins have retired at the peak of their powers.

Valerie Vili may well go on to match the twins by defending her Olympic shot-put title in London after an imperious achievement at Beijing.

Some sceptics were wary of the threat of two Belarussian throwers, particularly former world champion Nadzeya Ostapchuk.

But Vili, the current world champ, bestrode the circle like a colossus, hurling 20.56m, a personal best, on her very first throw to leave the field trailing in her wake. The Belarussian pair were left to contest the minor medals.

It was an emotional time for the 23-year-old Vili and her coach, Kirsten Hellier, an influential figure in the shot-putter's life since her beloved mother, Lilika, died in 2000.

Security was stringent at Beijing and one officious female security staffer tried to stop Vili grabbing a New Zealand flag. "To try and manhandle me was probably not a good idea," Vili quipped later.

Nothing was going to prevent her taking the Kiwi ensign on a victory lap which culminated in her hugging her sister and niece in the stands.

Yachting predictably provided New Zealand's third gold of the Games, at Fushan Bay where Auckland's Tom Ashley won the men's boardsailing title.

The 24-year-old became the first Kiwi outside the Kendall family to win an Olympic windsurfing crown, following Barbara Kendall at Barcelona in 1992 and her big brother Bruce four years earlier in Seoul.

Track cycling emerged as New Zealand's new glamour sport at Beijing with Ashburton's Hayden Roulston the supremo in the saddle.

Roulston's was a compelling comeback story. Medics urged the 27-year-old to quit after fears his life could be at risk after he developed a heart condition two years ago.

But Roulston ignored the conventional medical advice and turned to an alternative healing therapy, reiki. Christchurch reiki master Julie Reid was at the Beijing velodrome with his family to see Roulston win the silver medal in the men's individual pursuit and help the New Zealand men take the team pursuit bronze.

It later emerged Roulston only made the Olympics after five Christchurch businessmen came to his rescue after he lost his savings in an investment company collapse.

Roulston scored our sole silver medal in Beijing but the team pursuiters joined rowers Mahe Drysdale (single sculls) and George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle (coxless pair), triathlete Bevan Docherty and athlete Nick Willis on the bronze medal podium.

Drysdale's was the most dramatic performance. The New Zealand team captain and three-time world champion, succumbed to a severe stomach bug before his event and was lifted onto a stretcher at the end of his race. Drysdale vomited before recovering in time to take his place on the podium for the medals ceremony.

Willis' 1500m bronze was New Zealand's first medal on the track since John Walker's gold in the same event at Montreal 32 years earlier.

It was heartwarming to see a Kiwi back among the medals in a blue riband event like the 1500m after the sterling deeds of Jack Lovelock, Peter Snell and Walker so long ago.

New Zealand's Olympic Games medallists:

Gold

Tom Ashley (boardsailing)

Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell (rowing, double sculls)

Valerie Vili (athletics, shot put)

Silver

Hayden Roulston (track cycling, 4000m individual pursuit)

Bronze

Hayden Roulston, Westley Gough, Sam Bewley, Jesse Sergent, Marc Ryan (track cycling, 4000m team pursuit)

Mahe Drysdale (rowing, single sculls)

George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle (rowing, coxless pair)

Bevan Docherty (triathlon)

Nick Willis (athletics, 1500m)