New Zealand revels in a weekend of sporting success

New Zealand revels in a weekend of sporting success

New Zealand boasts that it punches above its weight in international sport and backed up that claim at the weekend with success around the world and in a variety of sports.

The claim already had gained some credibility this year when the nation of 5.2 million placed 11th on the medal table at the Paris Olympics with 10 gold medals and 20 medals overall.

Over the last 48 hours, New Zealand:

Beat Great Britain 7-2 in the final of the 37th edition of sailing’s America’s Cup to win world sport’s oldest trophy for the third straight time. Team New Zealand is the only team in the modern era to win the trophy on three consecutive occasions.

Beat India by eight wickets in the first cricket test at Bengaluru, winning in India for only the third time and the first time since 1988. The New Zealand Black Caps are only the fourth team to beat India at home this century. New Zealand bowled out India for 46 in its first innings, its lowest-ever total at home.

Beat South Africa by 32 runs to win the women’s Twenty20 cricket World Cup for the first time and as underdogs. South Africa were favorites after beating six-time champion Australia in the semifinals.

In addition:

New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde won the final leg of the World Triathlon Championship Series at Torremolinos, Spain.

Ally Woolaston won the women’s omnium event at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships for her second gold and third medal of the championships.

The New Zealand women’s team beat Italy 6-1 in the final of the Canoe Polo world championships in Deqing, China.

Auckland FC, part owned by American businessman Bill Foley, won its first-ever match in Australian soccer’s A-League, beating the Brisbane Roar 2-0.

New Zealand’s Liam Lawson finished ninth in the United States F1 Grand Prix in his first race of the season and after starting from 19th on the grid.

“In New Zealand’s history there haven’t been too many sporting weekends like the one we’ve just seen, with epic wins from Team New Zealand, the White Ferns, the Black Caps, the Silver Ferns (netball team) and the Paddle Ferns (canoe polo team),” New Zealand Sports Minister Chris Bishop said.

“I know lots of Kiwis will be bleary-eyed today after a couple of long nights watching our teams go up against the best. But I bet they’re as stoked at the results and as proud of our teams as I am.

“All in all, I think this was a weekend that will go down in New Zealand’s sporting annals. All five teams should know that their country is enormously proud of them. And I think Kiwi sports fans can be forgiven if they’re caught yawning at work today, after so much sporting excitement packed into one weekend!” STEVE McMORRAN, WELLINGTON, MDT/AP