Joshi

I was thinking this exact same thing with a dangerous precedent. A few examples, it won't just stop with lacrosse, what's to stop Maori athletes from forming their own rugby 7s/kayaking teams. 90% of the gold medal winning women's team and kayaking team are Maori. The Scots wanting their own track cycling/swimming teams, Catalans and Basques from both France and Spain wanting their own football teams. I haven't even started on individual athletes. You see where this is going...

Ellesse Andrews grandfather is Scottish and he got asked if there's a possibility Andrews could join GB (as a joke) thanks to the Richardson bombshell on NZ radio. He replies, "Like hell she is, I'm Scottish not British". Just to add the grandfather is from Glasgow, one area that is pro independence. Hahaha got to laugh.

NZ 1. Rate the performance on a scale of 1-10 8/10 - Although not perfect as with every country in the Olympics, I think it's fair to say 10 gold medals was an overachievement. 20 medals in total matches Tokyo 2021. 2. What were the suprises and heartbreaks? Probably the biggest surprise was Finn Butcher winning gold in the kayak cross. Heartbreak was probably Aimee Fisher coming 4th in the K1 500, she had some major issues and demons with the national body for the past 8 years. I really do hope she sticks with it for another 4 years she is only 28. But looking at the pre race interviews between Carrington and her, she seemed to have psyched herself out as this was meant to be the showdown of the century between our 2 female paddlers. But while one did the job (Carrington) the other absolutely flopped in the end, during the worst possible time, being the final. 3. Was your country's goal achieved? Our NOC had a target of 13-18 medals, ended up with 20 medals. So yes we exceeded expectations, what is interesting is that quite a few of the athletes or teams who were predicted to medal didn't end up doing so and those that were not predicted to win medals ended up winning medals instead. I guess that's the case with quite a few countries. 4.Which are the sports that will be invested more in future? Current / Upcoming sports The usual suspects Track Cycling, Rowing, Canoe/Kayak - Sprint, Sailing. But I do think Athletics could get a big boost and the same with Sailing. Sailing in particular had a poor Olympics in Tokyo, so could get more money this time round. 5. Who could be some the potential star for your country in LA? Julian David could be a huge star by LA in the speed climbing event. He's got massive potential as was witnessed in Paris. There's a new sport on the horizon in Beach Rowing, and this is where someone who could very well be a star is a guy called Matt Dunham. Our female track cyclists (average age of 22) could be set to dominate the boards at LA, particularly in the sprint events. They've already overachieved but could very well be even better in 4 years.

Oops take that back add another bronze and 20 medals overall.

It's true though NZ only plays rugby

Barring an absolute miracle in the omnium NZ will finish up with 10 golds, 7 silver and 2 bronze for a total of 19. Amazing to think in April predictors were giving us 9.

Ellesse Andrews another gold. Yes yes yesssss.

Good stuff Ellesse Andrews. Finucane looked like she was about to shit her pants.

Yeah take that.

This is fucking ridiculous. They're both clearly mentally not there especially Kerr. Pathetic.

Aimee Fisher nowhere to be seen.

I thought the coverage of the women's shot put competition was amateur at best. Instead of focusing on Ogunyele I think they conveniently forgot about Wesche's last throw. Then all of a sudden Wesche is throwing and the camera panned to the 20m line with the shot put beyond it. The international commentators got us all believing she had won it. It had obviously bounced then rolled over the 20m line. No one actually saw where the put landed thanks to a comedy of camera errors.

A bit of a battle between Canada, NZ and Hungary for 11th position on the medal tally. But if Canada win the women's beach volleyball you'd have to think they'll be favs.

Thank God for that. That was way too stressful.

That has practically sealed Australia finishing ahead of GB in the medal tally.