Sports in New Zealand

Nothing galvanizes the nation or makes us more proud than a New Zealand competitor or team beating those from the rest of the world.

Olympic Success

The New Zealand team won 20 medals, seven gold, six silver, and seven bronze, at these Games, surpassing the record of 18 gained at the 2016 Summer Olympics. The seven gold medals collected were second only to the eight medals collected at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Rowing led the sports with five medals, followed by canoeing with three medals, two in rugby sevens, cycling and athletics, and one in sailing, golf, boxing, trampolining, tennis and triathlon. It was the first time New Zealand won medals in trampolining (and gymnastics in general) and tennis.

Sports grounds can be found nationwide, and half the population will be active during the weekend. New Zealanders will also try any sport, often regardless of barriers.

Rugby is the national sport and is exceptional in New Zealanders' lives. In 1987, New Zealand won the first-ever Rugby World Cup. They were also the first NZ team to wear black uniforms and the silver fern emblem. 

Netball - is the female answer to rugby and is the second most popular sport in New Zealand. Netball is a fast-paced court sport, and New Zealand's national team, the Silver Ferns, is often ranked first globally.

Sailing—Team New Zealand has become a household name in its home country following its consecutive wins in The America's Cup in 1995 and 2000. It was the first team from a country outside of the United States to successfully win and then defend the America's Cup title.

Since Kupe, the first explorer to reach New Zealand made landfall in Kaiti off Gisborne over 1000 years ago, New Zealanders have had a passion for the ocean-going craft. New Zealanders were at the forefront of yacht design and racing during much of the 20th century and continued their dominance into this century. New Zealand is the only country outside of us to win and retain the litigious America's Cup in 125 years of racing! Even though they lost the cup the third time, it took the wily Swiss to understand that the only way to beat the Kiwis was to hire one to skipper their yacht. 

Auckland, the 'City of Sails', has the most significant number of boats per capita compared to any other city in the world.

• There are more golf courses in the country per capita than anywhere else.
• Sir Edmund Hillary, a Kiwi, was the first person to climb Mount Everest
• New Zealand has won at least one gold medal at every Olympics since 1952
• Horse racing is another popular pastime, and the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry is world-famous
• New Zealand had the first commercial Bungy jump (AJ Hackett) and jet boating facilities.
• The Coast-to-Coast one-day race (running, canoeing, cycling) is one of the most challenging outdoor cross-country team races in the world. It is held in New Zealand every year.
• Another fantastic sporting event that is very popular in New Zealand is the Iron Man Triathlon.