Olympics: NZ 4th in population-adjusted medal table

A record medal haul has not been enough to earn New Zealand a podium placing in the population-adjusted Olympic standings.

The Kiwi team's haul of five gold, three silver and five bronze medals was only good enough for fourth in the final alternate medal tally released this afternoon.

Worse still, the team were narrowly beaten by their traditional population-adjusted rivals Jamaica.

The Statistics New Zealand table shows New Zealand earned 1.14 gold medals and for every million population.

It gained 2.98 medals for every million population when bronze and silver were taken into account.

Grenada, with a population of 100,000, was in first place thanks to a single gold from emerging track superstar Kirani James in the men's 400m.

Jamaica edged out New Zealand with 1.46 gold medals and 4.38 overall medals per million population.

Arguably superhuman sprinter Usain Bolt was involved in three of its four gold medals.

New Zealand traditionally punches above its weight in population adjusted medal tallies, regularly contending for first place in the standings.

However, missing out on a placing in this year's population-adjusted medal race is unlikely to dampen the spirits of New Zealand athletes as they celebrate the end of the London games.

They can comfort themselves in the knowledge they beat the Australian team, who fell to 17th in the overall population-adjusted medal standings with a disappointing games.

Olympic table toppers the United States finished 28th for gold medals won, and 50th for total medals won in the population adjusted standings.

China finished second on the traditional table but came in at 48th for gold, and 74th for total medals won.

- Herald Online