Single scull champion Emma Twigg and women's pair winners Kerri Williams(nee Gowler) and Grace Prendergast provided two of the most memorable moments for the New Zealand team in Tokyo.
Twigg has one of the great redemption stories in New Zealand sport. In a rowing career that has spanned 20 years it seemed gold was forever out of reach after she was left in despair by fourth placings in the single sculls at the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games.
Fighting through a battle with officialdom over her study plans, a couple of retirements, and her own self-doubt from those "failures", the Napier-raised Twigg roared to a glorious gold medal at the Japan Olympics last year.
In 2014 she was crowned world champion and, the same year, named as world rowing's female rower of the year. Her career has included Olympic, senior, U23 and junior world titles in the single scull. She is the first New Zealander to win the women's single scull at the Olympic Games and is regarded as one of New Zealand's most decorated female rowers. She is also an active advocate for LGBTQIA+ athletes.
Twigg said it was a shock when the email arrived telling her of the honour.
"I was a little bit surprised. It's one of those ones you get in your email inbox and think is this a joke? It's a real honour to be on a list with a lot of greats.
"It's been a huge year. It's been pretty exceptional kicking off with the gold in Tokyo and then finding out Charlotte was pregnant not long after. We're happily settling into lives as mums and can't complain."
Six-week-old Tommy Twigg has become the priority for Twigg but she isn't ruling out a fifth Olympic Games as she heads to Europe this month for the Henley Royal Regatta and a World Cup event in the double sculls before she switches back to the single scull at the world championships later this year.
"You're not putting yourself first, that's for sure. I'm loving it. It gives me a little bit more balance which has been important to my rowing success lately anyway."
And the Olympics in Paris?
"That's the million dollar question and one I keep pondering. I've always said to myself if I'm enjoying what I'm doing I'll keep at it. So far so good. We're going year by year."
Golden pair
Williams and Prendergast blitzed the opposition in the final of the women's pair to win New Zealand's first gold of the Tokyo Olympics. They became just the third female Kiwi crew to win an Olympic gold.
Grace Prendergast and Kerri Williams with their gold medals. Photo / Getty
The duo, who had been racing together since 2014 and have four world titles, set a world-best time in their semifinal in Tokyo and in the final calmly worked their way up the field to claim their first Olympic victory.
They then backed that up in the eights boat to claim silver to join a rare list of Kiwis to win multiple medals at the same Olympics.
Williams has represented New Zealand in rowing since 2013 while Prendergast made her New Zealand debut three years earlier.
Prendergast, who is studying a masters in philosophy at Queens College in Cambridge, England, said the honour "came out of the blue".
"You never really think of these things when you're trying to achieve your specific goal but then all these things that follow on from it probably make you realise how special it was. Sometimes it's a bit hard to let all the moments sink in, so it's pretty amazing."
