New Zealanders have plenty to celebrate after a monumental weekend saw five national sporting teams achieve historic victories, Sport & Recreation Minister Chris Bishop announced.
“In New Zealand’s history, there haven’t been too many sporting weekends like this one, with epic wins from Team New Zealand, the White Ferns, the Black Caps, the Silver Ferns, and the Paddle Ferns,” said Mr Bishop.
The weekend kicked off with Emirates Team New Zealand securing a third consecutive win in the America’s Cup, defeating INEOS Britannia by 37 seconds in a tense race off Barcelona. This marks the first time in over 30 years that any team has won the Cup three times.
The Black Caps followed with a historic win against India in the first test of their series, marking just the third time New Zealand has won in India and their first since 1988. Local hero Rachin Ravindra, the Man of the Match, starred with a century in the first innings and a crucial unbeaten effort in the second.
In netball, the Silver Ferns put on an impressive display in Wellington, defeating world champions Australia in the Constellation Cup with a record 14-goal margin, winning 64-50. It was their highest score against the Diamonds in regular time.
Across the globe in China, the Paddle Ferns claimed victory in the Canoe Polo World Cup final, dominating Italy 6-1 and adding another chapter to New Zealand’s proud tradition in the sport.
Finally, at 3am on Monday, the White Ferns won the Women’s T20 World Cup in Dubai, defeating South Africa. Amelia Kerr’s standout performance with both bat and ball led New Zealand to their first World Cup victory since 2000.
“This weekend will go down in New Zealand’s sporting history. All five teams have made their country incredibly proud,” Mr. Bishop said, acknowledging the sleep deprivation of Kiwi sports fans after a weekend packed with triumphs.