| New Zealand at the 2020 Summer Olympics | |
|---|---|
 | |
| IOC code | NZL |
| NOC | New Zealand Olympic Committee |
| Website | www |
| in Tokyo, Japan 23 July 2021 – 8 August 2021 | |
| Competitors | 212 in 21 sports |
| Flag bearers (opening) | Sarah Hirini David Nyika[2][3] |
| Flag bearer (closing) | Valerie Adams[1] |
| Medals Ranked 13th |
|
| Summer Olympics appearances (overview) | |
| Other related appearances | |
 Australasia (1908–1912) | |
New Zealand competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Originally scheduled to take place from 24 July to 9 August 2020, the 2020 Games were postponed to 23 July to 8 August 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[4] It was the country's twenty-fourth appearance as an independent nation at the Summer Olympics, having made its debut at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp and competed at every Games since. The New Zealand team consisted of 212 athletes, 112 men and 100 women, across twenty-one sports.
The New Zealand team collected a total of 20 medals, seven gold, six silver and seven bronze, at these Games, surpassing the record of 18 gained at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The seven gold medals collected was second only to the eight medals collected at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Rowing led the sports with five medals, followed by canoeing with three medals, two medals in each of rugby sevens, cycling and athletics, and one medal in each of sailing, golf, boxing, trampolining, tennis and triathlon. It was the first time New Zealand won medals in trampolining (and gymnastics in general) and tennis.
Sprint canoeist Lisa Carrington won gold medals in the women's K-1 200 metres, K-1 500 metres and with Caitlin Regal in the K-2 500 metres to become New Zealand's most successful Olympian with six medals in all, including five gold medals. Rower Emma Twigg claimed the gold medal in the women's single sculls after finishing fourth in the previous two Games.[5] The men's rowing eight claimed the gold medal for the first time since 1972, with Hamish Bond becoming the first New Zealander to win a gold medal at three successive Olympics. Rowing pair Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast won the gold medal in the women's pair before helping the women's eight win the silver medal. The women's rugby sevens team beat France 26–12 in the final to claim the gold medal, bettering their silver medal at the 2016 Games.
- ^ "Tokyo Olympics: Dame Valerie Adams named New Zealand's flagbearer for Games' closing ceremony". Newshub. 8 August 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
- ^ "Sarah Hirini and Hamish Bond named New Zealand Team Flagbearers for Tokyo Olympic Games". New Zealand Olympic Committee. 23 June 2021. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
- ^ "Tokyo Olympics 2020: Hamish Bond forced to hand over flagbearer duties to David Nyika for opening ceremony". The New Zealand Herald. 23 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- ^ "Joint Statement from the International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee". Olympics. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- ^ Hinton, Marc (30 July 2021). "Tokyo Olympics: Fourth time lucky as single sculler Emma Twigg powers to gold medal". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 30 July 2021.