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1980 Moscow Olympics boycott
The boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics was larger than that led by black African nations in 1976 and was more damaging to New Zealand's athletes.
Best of the best Kiwi Olympians
At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, New Zealand's rowing eight won gold and the coxless fours won silver. Rod Dixon, who claimed bronze in the 1500 m, was the only other New Zealand medal winner at these Games. The Romanos list In his book Our Olympic century (2008), well-known sports writer Joseph Romanos gave his pick of New Zealand's best Olympians. Do you agree with his choices?
Ted Morgan boxes for gold, 1928
Boxer Ted Morgan won New Zealand's first official gold medal at the 1928 Olympics
Media coverage of the Olympic Games
Compare this article about our first Olympic medal which appeared in the Taranaki Herald on 16 July 1908 with TVNZ's Olympics page for the 2012 London Games to see how much has changed in 100 years of media coverage. Covering the Games  Today when our athletes perform at the Olympics we can follow up-to-the-minute coverage via radio, television or the internet. If they are successful their faces are plastered across newspapers and magazines, and their winning moment is shown repeatedly on television and websites.
Amateur ideals and Olympic realities
For most of their history, the Olympic Games welcomed only those who competed for pleasure and spurned all monetary rewards. Until the late 20th century, officials pursued professionals far more vigorously than drug cheats.
Birth of an Olympic rowing tradition
Several New Zealand athletes competed – and won medals – as part of ‘Australasian' teams at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics. This country's first official team competed at Antwerp in 1920.
Violet Walrond, our first female Olympian
Violet Walrond was New Zealand's first female Olympian. She was only 14 when selected and 15 when she swam at the 1920 Antwerp Games. Standing 1.6 me tall, she weighed just 48.5 kg.
NZ's Olympic pioneers (1908)
New Zealand missed the first three modern Olympic Games in Athens (1896), Paris (1900) and St Louis (1904). In the 1908 Games in London, New Zealanders competed as part of an ‘Australasian' team.
Jack Lovelock

Athlete, doctor

Jack Lovelock led a remarkably full life before his death, just a few days shy of his 40th birthday, on 28 December 1949. He is remembered in New Zealand and abroad largely for his athletic achievements, especially his dramatic finish in the 1500 metres at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which won New Zealand its first athletics gold medal. But Lovelock also achieved academically, forged a successful medical career and was a husband and father of two.

The Montreal Olympics boycott
In 1976 New Zealand was at the centre of a furore that undermined the Montreal Games.
Measuring Olympic success
Thanks to Danyon Loader and Blyth Tait (and his horse Ready Teddy), New Zealand topped the golds per capita rankings at Atlanta in 1996.
'Tom Watson' wins bronze for New Zealand
The character in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of fire (1981) was based on Arthur Porritt, who won a bronze medal for New Zealand in the 100 m at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Peter Snell and Murray Halberg win Olympic gold
Radio commentary of gold medal runs by Peter Snell (800 m) and Murrary Halberg (5000 m) in the 1960 Rome Olympics.
Further information - Olympic Games
This web feature was written and produced by the NZHistory.net.nz team, with the assistance of David Green and Carl Walrond. Links Olympic and Commonwealth Games – Te Ara Read about NZ Olympians Darcy Hadfield, Jack Lovelock, Peter Mander, Ted Morgan, Arthur Porritt and Norman Read in the Dictionary of NZ Biography New Zealand Olympic Committee New Zealand at the Olympics (Wikipedia) Summer Olympic Games (Wikipedia) International Olympic Committee – official website of the Olympic Movement Black Gold - NZ On Screen's Olympic film collection Books 
16 Olympic stories
We've created a story for each day of the Olympic Games: NZ Olympic pioneers (1908) Distance and money prevented New Zealanders from competing at the first three modern Olympic Games in Athens (1896), Paris (1900) and St Louis (1904). At the 1908 Games in London, three New Zealanders competed as part of an ‘Australasian’ team. One of them, walker Harry Kerr, bagged our first medal. More... Our first female Olympian (1920) Violet Walrond was New Zealand’s first female Olympian. She was only 14 when selected and 15 when she swam at the 1920 Antwerp Games.
NZ's first Olympic century
In 2012 the Olympic Games were held to London, the city where New Zealand's Olympic story began in 1908. Kiwi athletes have produced plenty of memorable moments over the years, but the Summer Games have also been marred by boycotts, controversy and tragedy. The 1908 Olympics Today's event is a far cry from the London Games in 1908, when our first three Olympians competed as part of an ‘Australasian’ team. Harry Kerr from Taranaki won New Zealand’s first medal with a bronze in the 3500-m walk.
The Olympics
In 2012 the Olympic Games returned to London, the city where New Zealand's Olympic story began in 1908. Kiwi athletes have produced plenty of memorable moments over the years, but the Summer Games have also been marred by boycotts, controversy and tragedy.
Yvette Williams

The sports writer Peter Heidenstrom rated Yvette Williams as his 'New Zealand Athlete of the Century'. There is no doubt that she was one of our greatest-ever athletes - and probably the most versatile. There were few events for women in track and field in the 1950s but Williams excelled at most of them.

Origins of international rugby - 1987 Rugby World Cup
Before the 1987 Rugby World Cup and the professional era, rugby prided itself on extolling the virtues of friendly rivalry.
Competitors and spectators - sport, 1940-60
Sports participation and spectatorship were the only daytime leisure activities to rival home-centred pursuits such as gardening in this period. New Zealand's hosting of the Commonwealth Games in 1950 encouraged participation in sport and confidence in our ability to compete at international level.

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