There is something awe-inspiring about watching those incredibly rare sports stars who reduce their world-class opponents to also-rans.
Swedish pole vaulter Armand Duplantis is one; he clinched gold in just four vaults, then extended his own world record to 6.25m to win by 30cm. French swimmer Leon Marchand is another; he won all four of his individual events in Olympic records and took out the 400m individual medley by the ridiculous margin of almost six seconds.
Dame Lisa Carrington also ranks in this elite sporting stratosphere; she won the K1 500m by over a second and the K2 500m by over two.
Ellesse Andrews, the keirin and unbeaten sprint champion at the velodrome, looks destined for a similar level of dominance. New Zealand’s record gold medal haul would not have been achieved without these two extraordinary athletes leading the way. – Simon Kay
Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Josh Kerr had circled each other long before they stepped on the track inside Stade de France. The reigning Olympic champion and current world champion had spent years attacking each other on the last lap and then in the media. It was the spiciest rivalry in Paris and the 1500m final would be its culmination.
Ingebrigtsen controlled the race, setting a rapid pace to establish his dominance. But Kerr was unbowed, staying on the Norwegian’s heels before making his move. Exiting the final turn, the Briton ran around his foe, the gold surely his. And then, eyes that had been fixed on only two men caught a figure in red and blue sneaking up on the inside. Suddenly a two-man race belonged to a 20-1 outsider – 23-year-old American Cole Hocker stunning Kerr, Ingebrigtsen and 70,000 more. – Kris Shannon
Who would turn down a guaranteed gold medal?
After working for four years to peak at the Games – and striving most of your whole life to get to one – it’s hard to imagine being in the position that Hamish Kerr was, where he declined the chance to share an Olympic title with American Shelby McEwen, after they both failed to clear 2.38m and held identical records on countback.
But that act of courage and conviction was the highlight of an amazing night at Stade de France, as much as his subsequent winning leap and joyous victory celebration.
As he told me in the media zone afterwards, he wanted to give the world something to remember – a what-if moment – rather than the anti-climax that unfolded three years ago in Tokyo with the Qatari and the Italian splitting the difference like they were at a primary school sports day.
“I was happier coming second and adding to that history than I would have been actually taking the shared gold,” Kerr told the Herald. “It’s about how you make people feel. For athletics fans and people around the world to know what would happen if you go to that jump-off, that’s inspiring. That’s the shit that gives me tingles.”
Kerr’s act was even more inspiring given the burden on his shoulders; New Zealand had only claimed two gold medals in track and field this century and a Kiwi high jumper had never got close to the podium across a century of Olympic competition.
Courage was a theme of these games for many New Zealand athletes, from Eliza McCartney competing despite being unable to train, Dame Lisa Carrington putting her legacy on the line as a 35-year-old, the rowing “super mums” breaking new ground and Sarah Hirini playing on with a facial fracture in the women’s sevens final. – Michael Burgess
In the glorious glow of New Zealand’s whopping 10 gold medals, my favourite was actually a silver. It dawned on me while watching the triathlon just how difficult it is to win a second medal, especially in a sport where there are so many variables.
That’s why Hayden Wilde’s gusty performance will always stay with me. It had everything you want as a viewer; the swim leg that didn’t go to plan, the mega fightback on the bike then the thrilling run leg where it was a case of will he/won’t he be able to hang on? It didn’t end in Wilde’s favour but a hero he will forever be to us! – Toni Street
There was no better way to kick off the Paris Games than Drone Gate – the scandal that emerged after staff from the Canadian women’s football team were caught spying on our own Football Ferns.
Going into the 2024 Olympics, placed in a group with France, Colombia and Canada, the Football Ferns unfortunately never stood a chance.
Based on the New Zealand women’s competitiveness over the past 18 months or so, spying on them was laughable. To this day, why the Canadians felt the need I’m still not sure.
Nevertheless, the act undoubtedly helped build coverage of the Games. It got people talking; challenged people’s views on Olympic ethos and values; and it showed the extent countries go for glory.
It gave the Football Ferns an extra kick we hadn’t seen in them in a while, and it forced the Canadian footballers – who insisted they didn’t know of their coach’s doings – to fight on the field for their place in the competition.
And whether you want to believe it or not, in the end, it didn’t change the outcome of what was already predicted for the group stage. – Bonnie Jansen
The best way to complete an Olympic set is to win the gold last. Lydia Ko’s performance of winning three medals at consecutive Olympics may never be repeated by a golfer again. I’d say with certainty, if it happens, it won’t be by a New Zealander. There are so many more variables for Ko to get on the podium at three straight Olympics compared to other sports.
The performance at Le Golf National wasn’t flawless and the fourth-round collapse of Jon Rahm in the men’s event was weighing on her mind on the back nine, she admitted later. But as the pressure mounted, Ko didn’t falter. Not all athletes get to go out on time. It rarely happens.
But Ko deserved the gold after being such a great advocate for the sport and New Zealand over her career. Did I cry? Yes. – Cameron McMillan
Among the fan favourites is Turkish shooter Yusuf Dikec, who might just be the coolest man on the planet. The silver medallist in the 10m air pistol event has become a megastar for his nonchalant approach. While most pistol shooters don visors, chunky ear defenders, and shooting lenses with a blinder to enhance focus, Dikec opts for a single ear plug. There’s something uniquely cool about excelling at something while making it look effortless. – Luke Kirkness
After all that’s happened, it’s hard to believe Eliza McCartney is still just 27.
Following her breakthrough bronze medal in Rio eight years ago, the pole vaulter has been hampered by injury after injury, and missed out on Tokyo altogether.
But in Paris, we saw McCartney in full flight.
As part of a Kiwi trio in the pole vault final, McCartney finished sixth as the best New Zealander in the field, after Imogen Ayris (12th) and Olivia McTaggart (13th) also qualified in a bizarre countback.
Sixth is hardly a result to write home about, but it showed that the ability is still there.
And if McCartney can have a consistent run over the next four years, Los Angeles 2028 could just be her stage. – Alex Powell
Seventy-one seconds ahead of his closest rival, under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, Remco Evenepoel dismounted his bike, turned it to the side and raised his arms. He’d just become Olympic champion. This wasn’t his first gold medal, and surely won’t be his last, but the images of his glorifying moment on the finish line should probably be hanging on a wall in a nearby art museum. – Andy McDonnell
It’s very unprofessional of me to admit this, but I’ve run out of words to describe this team. The mana on display in that gold medal match was enough to inspire the next generation of sevens stars, as some of the greats depart.
Down a player and then down on the scoreboard at halftime, they had to search themselves for an answer and they found gold.
Stacey Waaka crossing the line to score the winner with that trademark smile of hers on display is an all-time Games moment. – Will Toogood
I really loved the Olympics and I packed more into my two weeks than a male sprinter packs into his tight lycra one-piece. Like all of us, I instantly became an expert on sports I’d only just started watching for the first time three minutes previously.
New Zealand had so many highlights and heroes, with the only Kiwi winning more than our Olympic team being the one $44 million richer from last week’s Lotto. I loved watching everyone from the “Goat in the Boat”, Dame Lisa Carrington, to your old mate the mad Finn Butcher, who mana-waved his canoe into what looked like a spin cycle on a washing machine.
It was a joy to watch the international competitors too, like Simone Biles, LeBron James and the casual Turkish shooter who looked like he just turned up after teaching Year 11 social studies. But as far as an overall high goes, I’ll give it to the guy who overall loves to get high, on both weed and good vibes, Snoop Dogg. Snoop gets the gold for looking like he had the most fun in Paris from the depths of the sea, back to the block. – Ben Boyce
One of the world’s most renowned waves, Teahupo’o – often referred to as The End of the Road and/or the Wall of Skulls – is a high-stakes break. A powerful, fast-moving tube above a shallow reef, getting caught behind the curtain and going over the falls is a recipe for pain.
For Tahitian Kauli Vaast – competing for France – his 9.50 in the final is a wave he won’t soon forget. The 22-year-old found a big wave set early in the final against Australian Jack Robinson – one of the best big-wave surfers on the World Championship Tour – and spent more than 4s hidden from view by the barrel before shooting out the other side. Teahupo’o was always going to serve up a true gold-medal moment, and Vaast’s “how the hell did he ride out of that?” wave capped off what was a fantastic advertisement for the sport.
As a bonus, the competition also gave us one of the photos of the Olympics (below). – Christopher Reive
The kayaking great says her break is an 'opportunity to try something different'