New Zealand at the Olympics

New Zealand at the
Olympics
IOC codeNZL
NOCNew Zealand Olympic Committee
Websitewww.olympic.org.nz
Medals
Ranked 25th
Gold
65
Silver
42
Bronze
56
Total
163
Summer appearances
Winter appearances
Other related appearances
 Australasia (1908–1912)
The New Zealand rowing team at the 1932 Summer Olympics

New Zealand first sent an independent team to the Olympics in 1920. Before this, at the 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics, New Zealand and Australian athletes competed together in a combined Australasia team. New Zealand has also participated in most Winter Olympic Games since 1952, missing only the 1956 and 1964 Games.

The New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) is the National Olympic Committee for New Zealand. The NZOC was founded in 1911, and recognised by the IOC in 1919.

New Zealand athletes have won a total of 163 medals, with 157 won at the Summer Games and six at the Winter Games. The most successful sport has been rowing with 33 medals, with athletics second with 28 medals. Before the 2022 Winter Olympics, the 140 medals won by New Zealand put the country at number 32 on the all-time Olympic Games medal table for total number of medals and number 24 when weighted by medal type.

Following the 2020 Summer Olympics, 1519 competitors represented New Zealand at the Olympic Games. Harry Kerr is considered[1] the first Kiwi Olympian[2] and Adrian Blincoe the 1000th.[3] On 11 June 2009 it was reported that of the 1111 Olympians to that date, 114 were deceased and the whereabouts of 21 were unknown.[3] By 25 June 2009, only 9 Olympians had not been located.[4] There are no living Kiwi Olympians from before the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne.[3][5]

  1. ^ The New Zealand Olympic Committee records all athletes chosen for the Olympics, numbered sequentially. Harry Kerr is identified as "New Zealand Olympian: 1".
  2. ^ New Zealand Olympic Committee: Harry Kerr
  3. ^ a b c Leggat, David (11 June 2009). "21 Kiwi Olympians fail to register". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  4. ^ "New Zealand Olympic Committee: 1111 Olympians Honoured this Week". Archived from the original on 12 April 2010. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  5. ^ "Obituary". Stuff/Fairfax. 24 July 2021.