Will New Zealand unearth another Danyon Loader?
How many medals will New Zealand win and who will win them?
I am going for 10 medals which will take our overall total to one hundred medals in Olympic history. I think our main sports to look forward to are rowing and cycling for number of medals and our best chance is Valerie Adams in other sports. The Olympics is usually a reality check for us, when we realise how insignificant we are. It would be great to get a few other bonus medals. I think we have a decent amount of candidates in the could win bronze if things go their way category. Remember, New Zealand is notorius for getting fourth or fifth. I think you could put the hockey teams into that category. I am hoping for a potential fairytale medal like a Paul Kingsman. Maybe in the judo, sailing or female boxers.
I love the way that Olympic Games bring New Zealanders together as one. There is nothing like an Olympics Gold Medal to capture the heart of the nation and unity among the people as we bask in the reflective glory of a gold medal as another moment in New Zealand history takes place.
Punter of some repute Steve Downey says,
I actually think we'll do better than our 9 medals in Beijing. I think we'll get 15 medals with 4 golds. My gold predictions are Valerie Adams, Lisa Carrington, Mahe Drysedale and Hamish Bond/Eric Murray. We'll then get 5 silvers: Sarah Walker, JP Tobin, Linda Villumsen, Haigh/Scown & Andrea Hewitt. Finally 6 bronzes: Men's Pursuit, Women's Pursuit, Simon van Velthoven, Nick Willis, Kimberley Smith & Cohen/Sullivan.
Close but no cigar: Equestrian, all other triathletes, mens cycle-sprint team, Shane Archbold, Glen Snyders, Lauren Boyle, Ben Fouhy, Stuart Farquhar and the New Zealand hockey teams.
And on the chances of the great Jack Bauer?
Jack won't get a medal cos he's riding for Hendo. He's a chance, but Road Racing is the creme dela creme of bikes and hence the most competitive. Hard to go past the likes of Sagan, Gilbert, Boonen, Goss, (plus Greipel and Cavendish if they make it to the sprint finish)
A statistical study by PriceWaterhouse Coopers UK has predicted that New Zealand will win only seven medals at the London Olympics 2012. This is two less than we won in Beijing four years ago and well short of the 13 medals from Seoul in 1988 or the eight gold medals from Los Angeles in 1984.
A statistical study suggests New Zealand will not enjoy the same success at the London Olympics as we did in Beijing.
The study released by PriceWaterhouseCoopers UK (PwC) has predicted the overall medal tally for the top 30 countries competing at this year's Games and has New Zealand placing 28th with seven medals, two less than the nine-medal haul in 2008 at Beijing.
The United States is predicted to lead the medal charge with 113, followed by China with 87 - their tally has decreased substantially as they no longer have the host nation advantage - and Russia with 68.
The nine medals won in Beijing was a significant step forward for New Zealand, with that total equalling the combined tally of medals won in Athens (2004) and Sydney (2000).
Hopes are high that multiple Kiwi rowing crews and cyclists can make the podium this year, with the greatest expectations accompanying women's shot put defending champion Valerie Adams and the men's rowing pair of Eric Murray and Hamish Bond.
The PwC study is based on a number of categories that have been statistically proven to reflect a country's performance at the Olympics.
These include population, average income levels, whether the country was previously part of the former Soviet Union and whether the country is the host nation.
In general, the report said that the number of medals won increases with the population and economic wealth of the country, though it also factors in the possibility that "David can beat Goliath in the Olympic arena".
History also indicates the country hosting the Games generally over-performs, as was the case in Beijing where China won 100 medals, 37 more than they did in Athens, and in Sydney where Australia won 58 medals compared to 49 in Athens and 46 in Beijing.
Based on this, Britain is predicted to bag seven more medals than they did in Beijing, putting them fourth overall on the medal tally with 54.
Australia is expected to continue its decline since the Sydney Games, with the study predicting its athletes will take home 42 medals to finish fifth overall.
The study has also taken into consideration variables including the opportunities for athletes from poorer nations to train in wealthier nations, the tendency for smaller nations to specialise in particular areas, as the Jamaicans do with sprinting, and nations that have more of a focus on non-Olympic sports such as India.
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While India is in the top two competing countries in terms of population size, it has significantly under-performed at past Olympics, winning only three medals in Beijing.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/olympics/7102933/Study-shows-NZ-Olympic-medal-haul-will-drop
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