New Zealand competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This was the nation's twenty-fourth appearance at the Olympics. The New Zealand Olympic Committee sent 184 athletes, 97 men, and 87 women to the Games to compete in 16 sports, the nation's largest ever delegation.
New Zealand left London with a total of thirteen medals (six gold, two silver, and five bronze), finishing fifteenth in the overall medal standings. This was considered one of the nation's most successful Olympics, winning the second-largest number of gold medals behind eight at the 1984 Summer Olympics, and tying with the 1988 Summer Olympics for the largest number of medals. Five of these medals were awarded to the team in rowing, three in cycling, two in sailing, and one each in athletics, canoeing, and equestrian. Among the nation's medallists were rower Mahé Drysdale, who won gold in the men's single sculls, and track cyclists Sam Bewley, Marc Ryan, and Jesse Sergent, who managed to repeat the bronze from Beijing in men's team pursuit. New Zealand also ranked highly in medal tables adjusted for country populations, placing fourth for total medals per capita, gold medals per capita and weighted medals per capita.[1][2][3][4]
During the Games, New Zealand achieved its one hundredth overall Olympic medal. The gold medal was won by kayaker Lisa Carrington in the women's K-1 200 metres. However, if the three medals won by New Zealand athletes in 1908 and in 1912 as part of Australasia were included, the one hundredth medal would be the silver claimed by sailors Peter Burling and Blair Tuke from the open skiff class.[5]
The New Zealand Olympic Committee selected a team of 184 athletes, 97 men and 87 women, to compete in sixteen sports. It was the nation's largest delegation sent to the Olympics, surpassing the 182 athletes at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Field hockey and football were the only team-based sports in which New Zealand had representatives at the Games. For the first time in Olympic history, New Zealand did not qualify teams in basketball since its official debut in 2000. There was only a single competitor in judo, shooting, tennis, and weightlifting.
The New Zealand team featured past Olympic medallists, including the defending champion Valerie Adams in the women's shot put event. Equestrian eventing rider Mark Todd, at age 56, the oldest member of the team, became the first New Zealand athlete to compete in eight Olympic games. Todd's compatriot Andrew Nicholson was at his seventh appearance, having participated in the Olympics since 1984 (except the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, where he was not selected). Meanwhile, football player Cameron Howieson, at age 17, was the youngest member of the team. Other notable New Zealand athletes featured rower and five-time world champion Mahé Drysdale in men's singles sculls, triathlete and double Olympic medallist Bevan Docherty, BMX rider Sarah Walker, who missed out of the medal standings in Beijing, and sailors Hamish Pepper and Peter Burling. Middle-distance runner Nick Willis, who won New Zealand's first Olympic track medal in Beijing since 1976, was the nation's flag bearer at the opening ceremony.
Originally, New Zealand officiated a total of 185 athletes to compete at the Olympics.[8] On 20 July, middle-distance runner Adrian Blincoe, however, withdrew from the games because of an ankle injury.[9]
The following is the list of number of competitors participating in the Games. Note that reserves in fencing, field hockey, football, and handball are not counted as athletes:
Qualification Legend: FA=Final A (medal); FB=Final B (non-medal); FC=Final C (non-medal); FD=Final D (non-medal); FE=Final E (non-medal); FF=Final F (non-medal); SA/B=Semifinals A/B; SC/D=Semifinals C/D; SE/F=Semifinals E/F; QF=Quarterfinals; R=Repechage
^"Belarus – New Zealand". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 26 July 2012. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
^"Egypt – New Zealand". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 29 July 2012. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
^"Brazil – New Zealand". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 1 August 2012. Archived from the original on 5 August 2012. Retrieved 1 August 2012.
^"New Zealand – Squad List". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original on 10 October 2015. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
