Semi-final at the 1971 European Rowing Championships; New Zealand is ahead of the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia
The 1972 New Zealand eight was a team of Olympic gold medallists in rowing from New Zealand, having previously won the 1971 European Rowing Championships. At the time, the eight was regarded as the blue ribbon class of rowing, and the sport still had amateur-status in New Zealand, unlike many other nations competing in rowing. After a disappointing Olympic performance at the 1968 Summer Olympics by the New Zealand eight, national selectors Rusty Robertson, Don Rowlands, and Fred Strachan were tasked with assembling a new crew. Robertson was also the team's coach. The next time a New Zealand eight competed was at the 1970 World Rowing Championships, where they came third. The team was once again significantly changed for the next rowing season, with the 1971 edition of the European Rowing Championships and other international regattas beforehand seen as the ultimate test for the 1972 Summer Olympics. The team put up an impressive performance, beat the highly favoured East German eight, and became European champion; at the time the win was regarded to hold world championship status. No further changes were made to the team, not even their seating position, for the 1972 season. Despite a shoe-string budget, financial constraints, and all rowers working part-time, the 1971 success was repeated and the team won Olympic gold in Munich. The president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Avery Brundage, was a zealous advocate of amateurism; he was so impressed by the New Zealand performance that he insisted on handing out the gold medals himself. During the medal ceremony, much to almost everybody's surprise, "God Defend New Zealand" was played instead of the national anthem, "God Save the Queen". It was the impetus for a campaign to make "God Defend New Zealand" the New Zealand anthem, and in 1977 it was gazetted as having equal status to the traditional anthem.
The team won some significant awards and recognition for its successes. The rules of the "Sportsman of the Year Award" had to be changed so that a team could win the supreme award; this was awarded after their European championship win. Brundage also awarded the Taher Pacha Trophy to the team for distinction in amateur sport in 1971. After the Olympic success, the team was again awarded "Sportsman of the Year"; the first time a back-to-back award had been handed out. Rowlands, their manager, was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1973 New Year Honours. Over time, coach Robertson, manager Rowlands, and then the team as a whole were inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.
and 24 Related for: 1972 New Zealand eight information
The 1972NewZealandeight was a team of Olympic gold medallists in rowing from NewZealand, having previously won the 1971 European Rowing Championships...
The 1982 NewZealandeight was a double world champion team of rowers. The team won some significant awards for its successes. In the 1981 World Rowing...
NewZealand competed at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany. For the first time at the Olympics, God Defend NewZealand was played instead...
of these should be for work, eight for sleep, and the remaining eight for recreation". The first Labour Day in NewZealand was celebrated on 28 October...
NewZealand (Māori: Aotearoa [aɔˈtɛaɾɔa]) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island...
"Many islands" or Maungahuka "Snowy mountains") are an archipelago of NewZealand, lying 465 km (289 mi) south of the South Island. The main Auckland Island...
The economy of NewZealand is a highly developed free-market economy. It is the 52nd-largest national economy in the world when measured by nominal gross...
The education system in NewZealand implements a three-tier model which includes primary and intermediate schools, followed by secondary schools (high...
Sport in NewZealand largely reflects the nation's colonial heritage, with some of the most popular sports being rugby union, rugby league, cricket, association...
The politics of NewZealand (Māori: tōrangapū o Aotearoa) function within a framework of an independent, unitary, parliamentary democracy. The system...
Leggat, David (30 July 2016). "NewZealand's Greatest Olympians - Number 7: The 1972 rowing eight". The NewZealand Herald. Retrieved 25 September 2016...
reaching the finals eight times. Rugby league in NewZealand was largely centred around Auckland since the establishment of the NewZealand Rugby League in...
The Air NewZealand fleet consists of Boeing jet aircraft for long-haul flights, and Airbus jet aircraft for domestic and short-haul international flights...
The Royal NewZealand Air Force (RNZAF; Māori: Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa) is the aerial service branch of the NewZealand Defence Force. It was formed initially...
NewZealand fur seal, Antipodean fur seal, or long-nosed fur seal) is a species of fur seal found mainly around southern Australia and NewZealand. The...
This is a list of aircraft of the Royal NewZealand Air Force and Royal NewZealand Navy. 5-lb Mark 106 practice bomb 25-lb BDU 33 practice bomb 500-lb...
Karl-Heinz Urban (born 7 June 1972) is a NewZealand actor. His career began with appearances in NewZealand films and TV series such as Xena: Warrior...
The NewZealand National Party (Māori: Rōpū Nāhinara o Aotearoa), shortened to National (Nāhinara) or the Nats, is a centre-right NewZealand political...
South Island and the second-largest city by urban area population in NewZealand, after Auckland. Christchurch lies in the Canterbury Region, near the...
Raymond Stead (born 9 January 1972) is a NewZealand cricket coach and former cricketer who is the head coach of the NewZealand cricket team, having been...
from NewZealand, with four of them having started two or fewer races. The late 1950s to mid-1970s is viewed as the "golden age" for NewZealand in the...
Global Information