In these strangest of times, the Tokyo 2020+1 Olympic Games were always going to be a sporting event we'd never forget.
And for a while, at least, we will remember Tokyo as the Games where New Zealand seized 20 medals for the first time.
Eleven of those medals were won by female athletes, and Kiwi sportswomen won six of those seven golds (helped mightily by Lisa Carrington’s triple haul).
LockerRoom writers Suzanne McFadden and Ashley Stanley look back at the highlights and lowlights of these Games from a female perspective.
Performances of the Games
Most commanding performance must go to Lisa Carrington. Three gold medals (and a fourth place) in six days on the Sea Forest Waterway is an accomplishment that may not be repeated for a long time. Then again, it may be bettered in three years’ time by the super-athlete herself.
Her five-year dedication to her purpose to win multiple golds, her resilience in the Tokyo heat, and her stamina to win back-to-back finals was gobsmacking. She became our most decorated Olympian because of all that. But it was especially great to see her enjoying being part of a crew – both with Caitlin Regal in winning the K2 500, and in the K4 boat.
The Black Ferns Sevens had the greatest redemption, going one better than Rio 2016, to claim the gold medal from a passionate French side in the final. All players had overcome their fair share of adversity and personal struggles to take the field in Tokyo, arguably none more so than superhuman captain, Sarah Hirini, who lost her mother suddenly five months earlier.
Thunder and lightning threatened in patches, and the superb skills of the Fiji women almost derailed the World Cup champions' chance at gold in an extra time semifinal that had the nation on their feet and even Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yelling advice at her TV screen.
The best comeback we’ve seen of any athlete was rower Emma Twigg. Her perseverance over four Olympics, and coming out of retirement for Tokyo, was finally rewarded with single sculls gold. It’s a long way from fourth to the top of the podium, but Twigg made the leap with a new philosophy, self-belief and improved power. The Olympic champion is now in MIQ doing puzzles and building Lego.
The best performance by a sport came from rowing. Five medals all up – four of them to female crews. And there was a chain reaction going on. Brooke Donoghue and Hannah Osborne started it off by wining silver in the double sculls – outstanding for a combination who'd never competed together before - which inspired Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler, who controversially missed selection in 2016 and have dominated the world scene ever since, convincingly winning gold in the pairs the next day.
Their victory gave motivation for Twigg’s gold, who then boosted the women’s eight, on their way to the start line as Twigg received her medal. The eights’ silver may not have been what they wanted from Tokyo, but as Prendergast said it was "a special medal that felt like gold".
A bronze was as good as gold for Dame Valerie Adams. The proud Tongan mother-of-two, at her fifth Olympics, yelled up to the stands where the New Zealand support crew were cheering on, when the bronze medal was secured - rounding out her Olympic medal collection of two golds and one silver. But this one was definitely sweeter for the 36-year-old shot put legend who's also been through her share of obstacles to reach these Games.
She was never without a photo of her constant driving forces - daughter, Kimoana, and son, Kepaleli - and waved them around with a beaming smile, as though they were right there with her in a near-empty Olympic Stadium. A deserving NZ flag bearer for the closing ceremony, Adams now stays in Tokyo on for the Paralympics to coach her sister Lisa Adams in the shot put.
The greatest shock medal at these Games came with Ellesse Andrews’ silver in the velodrome (although LockerRoom marked the 21-year-old as a track cyclist to watch at the Olympics). Her raw talent, speed and determination was on display both in the keirin, and in the sprint where she made it all the way to one race short of the quarterfinals. In Paris, she won't be such a surprise.
The gutsiest medal effort came from our No.1 golfer, Lydia Ko, who only revealed after four rounds – and a medal play-off - that her grandmother had died the week before the Olympic tournament. While she carried the tragedy with her, she never showed it, fighting her way up the leaderboard to the thrilling fourth round where she played some of her best golf of the year, and was even in the lead at times. She was the consummate sportswoman, cheering on her opponents. Lydia Ko, take a bow.
Best of the rest
The K4 500m crew finishing fourth at the end of a long kayak campaign was a little bittersweet. Hopes were high for Carrington, Regal, Alicia Hoskin and Teneale Hatton to bundle up the dream run with a podium finish. But it was still an impressive effort for a crew who hadn't raced together at an international event, and were able to improve on New Zealand's standing of fifth in Rio.
No one looked as gutted as Luuka Jones, as she ended up sixth in the K1 slalom, after winning silver in 2016. But she returned to the canoe slalom course the next day and finished 13th in first Olympic attempt in the C1. Jones could bow out after these, her fourth Olympics, but says she’s keen to have a go in a new event, the extreme slalom, at the 2024 Olympics.
How cool was Maddi Wesche making the final of the women’s shot put in her first Olympics, finishing sixth, in the same field as her childhood hero? It’s not easy following in the footsteps of a legend like Adams, but 22-year-old Wesche isn’t daunted by the challenge.
Dunedin schoolgirl Erika Fairweather making a final in the 400m freestyle at her first Olympics. She set a New Zealand record and a personal best in making the 200m free semifinal, too. She has Y13 exams to come, but her next big test in the pool could be next year’s Commonwealth Games where she will be a real medal chance in the freestyle events.
Another young woman with a bright future, Madeline Davidson, not only became the first Kiwi trampolinist to compete at an Olympics, but finished in the top 10.
First-time Olympian, BMX rider Rebecca Petch, made it all the way into the semifinal, and narrowly missed out on a final berth by two spots.
For the best international debut – and at an Olympics – the award goes to Gabbi Rennie scoring a goal a minute after coming on the field for the Football Ferns in their first-up loss to Australia.
Julia Ratcliffe was 18cm off making the medal rounds of the women’s hammer throw, ending up ninth in the final. But expect to see defend her title at next year’s Commonwealth Games and continue the great rivalry with fellow Kiwi Lauren Bruce (who failed to make the cut for the Olympic final).
Surfer Ella Williams was also one win away from the quarterfinals, losing in the third round to Brisa Hennessy from Costa Rica. Ninth overall in her first Olympics, and the first where surfing was included at a Games, is a position New Zealand can definitely work from.
The also rans
Some sports just didn’t live up to expectations.
The Black Sticks were knocked out in hockey quarterfinals by the eventual gold medallists, The Netherlands. The world No.6 team had struggled with injuries to key players and didn’t look the team who finished fourth at the last two Olympics, and the team we know they can be.
The Football Ferns were always underdogs in the 'Pool of Death' - in fact their three pool mates, Sweden, the United States and Australia, respectively won the silver, bronze and tin medals (that's fourth in Olympic slang). With Hannah Wilkinson celebrating her 100th game in their third loss, to the Swedes, the Ferns will be looking to build on their blend of experience and youth, with a new coach, leading into the 2023 FIFA World Cup co-hosted here.
Our sailing women failed to make a medal race. Rio silver medallists Alex Maloney and Molly Meech flipped their campaign in the first race, finishing 12th overall. Although the mixed Nacra 17 crew were also 12th, big ups go to Erica Dawson, who mixed it up with the world’s best only a month after breaking her leg in a training accident. She and Micah Wilkinson are already eyeing up Paris 2024.
The more experienced riders in our track cycling team didn't get near Andrews' achievements. The pursuit team were eighth overall, Holly Edmonston was 10th in the omnium on the final day, and the madison pairing 11th.
The New Zealand eventers slid backwards: from bronze in 2012, to fourth in 2016, and this time fifth overall in the teams event – losing their grip on a medal in the final show jumping phase. Jonelle Price, in her third Olympics, was the best individual rider of the New Zealanders in 11th.
The two shooters didn’t fire - Rio silver medallist in trap shooting five years ago, Natalie Rooney, having to settle with 10th, and skeet shooter Chloe Tipple finishing 27th.
Ainsley Thorpe crashed out of the women’s triathlon on a corner slick with rain, and a “buggered" Nicole van der Kay was 29th. They struggled in the mixed teams relay too.
In a career that’s been plagued by bad luck, weightlifter Megan Signal suffered a shoulder injury and had to withdraw on the day of competition. And after all the global hype, her weightlifting team-mate Laurel Hubbard made history as the first openly transgender woman to compete at an Olympics, but failed to make a lift.
Best international moments
Allyson Felix coming back to compete after a near-death experience from an emergency c-section in late 2018, to win bronze in the 400m final and gold in the 4x400m relay, to become the most decorated Olympic US track and field athlete in history. This was the athlete who lost her sponsorship with Nike when she became pregnant - she now has her own sportswear label.
Gymnastics great Simon Biles deciding to pull out of competition when she had the ‘twisties’, for her mental and physical wellbeing - then returning to win a bronze on the beam.
Anna Kiesenhofer, the Austrian amateur cyclist and maths PhD, who won the Olympic road race - such a dark horse that even after she’d already won, the rest of the field didn’t know. She broke away early, but was considered such a minor threat the rest of the field forgot about her and let her build up an unassailable lead.
Favourite Quotes
“It’s taken me five years to get the courage to go out there and do something that is really scary and hurts a lot. I hate it, but I love it.” Carrington after winning the K1 500.
"There’s so much going through my mind. I’m just so happy. I love you Mum, I love you so much. That one was for you, and I am just so grateful to be part of the best team in the world.” Hirini straight after winning gold with her Black Ferns Sevens sisters.
“This means so much more than the gold medals…I’m so so proud of this. I worked so hard to be here today, worked so hard to put myself in the situation where I could try and win a medal for New Zealand,” Adams after winning her fourth Olympic medal in five Games.
Most unforgettable moments
Suzanne McFadden: "The look on Emma Twigg's face when she finally won gold after 20 years' trying. The utter relief on the faces of the Black Ferns Sevens when they won their semifinal against Fiji in one of the greatest sevens matches ever.
Dame Val lifting up the photo of her babies after winning her toughest medal of her career haul. And being at The Cloud watching Lisa Carrington's fiance, Michael Buck, screaming 'Go, go, go!' at the big screen as she won the K1 500."
Ashley Stanley: "It's hard to go past the ridiculous achievements in our 'Performances of the Games', but as cliché as it sounds, the most unforgettable moment for me has been watching every single athlete we covered in LockerRoom compete at these Games, especially those representing the small Pacific Island nations.
With 11 of our 20 medals won by women, that's a statistic I won't forget anytime soon when sharing with others how the first Olympic Games I was fortunate to cover (from my couch in Auckland) panned out. 'Arigatou gozaimasu' doesn't even cut it when trying to convey gratitude to the Japanese people for hosting an unforgettable Olympics, that many didn't want, during a state of emergency. It's crazy to think it'll happen all over again in only three years' time in Paris."
Sarah Cowley Ross (LockerRoom contributor and chair of the NZ Olympic Athlete's Commission): "These Olympics have been so emotional! For me, Emma Twigg becoming an Olympic champion is my favourite moment; she's the epitome of never giving up. Her road has been very rocky, and at times, she's come to a dead end, so I just love that she can finally put some big demons to rest because she was always good enough.
Another was Erica Fairweather - what a star at 17, in an Olympic final against freestyle greats. What impressed me was her maturity to reflect immediately after the final, saying 'I won't let this final performance define my Olympic experience'.
And you can't go past Lisa Carrington - so dominant, so humble and ready to inspire the next generation. I loved seeing how much it meant to her, particularly the K2 gold with Caitlin Regal.
A final thought to all those wahine toa who desperately wanted to be at these Games but for whatever reason this wasn't their time. Kia kaha and I hope you get your time."
