The Paris Olympics finished today with the closing ceremony. New Zealand won 20 medals, which is the same number as from Tokyo 2020. However, this time New Zealand won more gold medals than in Tokyo – 10, compared with 7 in 2020.

The gold medals were won in several different sports, including women’s rugby sevens, women’s double rowing, men’s high jump, and women’s golf. Lisa Carrington won three gold medals in women’s kayak singles, doubles and fours. She is now New Zealand’s most successful Olympian, having won one bronze and five gold medals at the 2012, 2016 and 2020 Olympics. Alicia Hoskin won two gold medals, with Lisa Carrington in the kayak doubles and fours, and Ellesse Andrews won two in different cycling events.

The New Zealand team won seven silver and three bronze medals, including in rowing, cycling and sailing.

New Zealand finished 11th on the medal table, between Germany and Canada. However, some people think that does not reflect our success, given our small population. A New Zealand computer scientist created a website called Medals Per Capita, which shows a medal table based on population. In that table, New Zealand comes fourth at the Paris Olympics, with around 267,000 people per medal.

The next Olympics will be held in Los Angeles in 2028. Next, though, there are the Paralympics, which start on Wednesday 28 August in Paris. The Paralympics are for athletes with disabilities. New Zealand has 25 athletes going to these games, competing in eight para sports, including para swimming, para cycling, and para athletics.

Vocabulary

kayak – a long, light boat that is pointed at both ends

bronze (medal) – the medal given to the athlete who came third

per capita – per head of population, or per person

disability – a physical or mental condition, which makes it difficult for someone to do some things that most people can do (Notice the prefix dis-, which shows an opposite or negative, and the word ability)