New Zealand thread

[NZTailender]

Hoping we get more than 3 gold this time, tbh. Reckon we might crack 5.

[Smudge]

After our brilliant effort at the 2007 Commonwealth Games, where we managed a staggering 33 fourths, here's hoping our rowers can provide a good share of medal chances.

So far, these teams have been named (going from latest):

Equestrian - Mark Todd and Andrew Nicholson (both attending their sixth Olympics - Todd after making a comeback this year following a few years in horse racing training) along with Joe Meyer, Caroline Powell and Heelan Tompkins
Tennis - Marina Erakovic gets selected thanks to her excellent form this year and, as a 20-year-old, her potential.
Badminton - men’s singles player John Moody from North Harbour and the mixed double of Craig Cooper (Waikato) and Renee Flavell (Auckland)
Kayaking - Ben Fouhy, Steven Ferguson, Mike Walker, Erin Taylor
Weightlifting - Richie Patterson (77kg class) and Mark Spooner (69kg)
Cycling - track - Greg Henderson (Dunedin), Hayden Roulston (Ashburton), Wesley Gough (Waipukurau), Jesse Sergent (Palmerston North), Sam Bewley (Rotorua), Marc Ryan (Timaru), Alison Shanks (Dunedin)
Triathlon - Andrea Hewitt, Shane Reed, Sam Warriner, Debbie Tanner, Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell.
Athletics - Nick Willis - 1500m, Stuart Farquhar - Javelin Throw, Beatrice Faumuina - Discus Throw and Kimberley Smith – 5000m and 10,000m, Valerie Vili - women's shot put, Adrian Blincoe - 5000m, James Dolphin - 200m and Nina Rillstone – Marathon
Swimming - Daniel Bell - Medley Relay, Lauren Boyle - Freestyle Relay, Moss Burmester - 100m, 200m butterfly, Elizabeth Coster - 100m backstroke, Cameron Gibson - Medley relay, Natasha Hind - Freestyle relay, Melissa Ingram - 100m, 200m backstroke, Dean Kent - 200m individual medley, Helen Norfolk - 200m, 400m ind med, Hayley Palmer - Freestyle relay, Glenn Snyders - 100m, 200m breastroke, Corney Swanepoel 100m butterfly.
Football - men's and women's teams
Rowing - Rob Waddell and Nathan Cohen (Double Scull), Caroline Evers-Swindell, Georgina Evers-Swindell (Double Scull), Nicola Coles, Juliette Haigh (Coxless Pair) Hamish Bond, Eric Murray, James Dallinger, Carl Meyer (Coxless Four) Nathan Twaddle, George Bridgewater (Coxless Pair) Emma Twigg (Single Scull), Mahe Drysdale (Single Scull)
Taekwondo - Robyn Cheong ( 57kg), Logan Campbell( 68kg), Matthew Beach ( 80kg)
Yachting - Carl Evans and Peter Burling (470), Barbara Kendall (RS:X Board - Women), Hamish Pepper and Carl Williams (Star Class), Tom Ashley - RS:X Board - Men, Dan Slater – Finn, Andrew Murdoch, Laser and Jo Aleh, Laser Radial.
Basketball - Tall Ferns
Sychronised swimming - Nina and Lisa Daniels.

From that list, the obvious medal hopes are in the rowing - Waddell and Cohen have slipped into the double sculls boat seamlessly, winning a World Cup event a few weeks ago, Drysdale is a lock for a medal and will be a chance for gold, the Evers-Swindell twins are an ever-present danger, while it's not too much to expect all the crews to make their finals. I'd expect a medal each from the triathlon, while the sailing will be a bit of a lottery as always.

Aside from that Vili is the most impressive athlete (track and field-wise) to come out of NZ in years and will either take silver or gold, Mark Todd cannot be underestimated and he's a massive fan of his new horse Gandalf, while the likes of Henderson could sneak a medal in the cycling. Not too sure how Ben Fouhy is going in recent seasons after his silver at Athens.

[Smudge]

My thread is more comprehensive...

[HeathDavisSpeed]

New Zealand. So great, we need two threads.

[Johnners]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QqqN...eature=related

[Prince EWS]

Originally Posted by Clapo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QqqN...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O7vsLk-pIo

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by Voltman

Ben Fouhy

Heard of this bloke. Also Drysdale.

[_Ed_]

Barbara Kendall's still going? Goodness.

Apparently Nick Willis and Kimberley Smith have been very competitive in top level competition in the US lately, so I'm expecting them to do well too.

[Flem274*]

Hoping for a Tompkins gold in the Equestrian tbh.

[Sanz]

Originally Posted by _Ed_

Barbara Kendall's still going? Goodness.

That's longer than Sharon Stone's athletic performance in movies

[Smudge]

Some excellent efforts at the Rowing World Cup in Poland today with two golds (Drysdale and Bridgewater/Twaddle), a silver (Coles/Haigh) and a bronze (Emma Twigg). Drysdale in particular adopted a new tactic, going out hard early and holding off his Czech rival.

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by Voltman

Drysdale in particular adopted a new tactic, going out hard early and holding off his Czech rival.

Bemused by the Norwegian being 15 seconds back at 500 metres.

[Smudge]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

Bemused by the Norwegian being 15 seconds back at 500 metres.

Yeah, yet he still finished on strongly. Maybe he hadn't targeted this regatta in his leadup to Beijing.

[_Ed_]

Yeah that was bizarre. He finished the race off well though.

Really pleased with the progress of our NZ rowers, they look like they've progressed nicely from Lucerne.

[Goughy]

What ever happened to Chris Donaldson?

Finished or just not worth sending?