18 Aug 2008

Five medals for NZ

8:00 am on 18 August 2008

New Zealand is finally on the medals table at the Olympic Games in Beijing, with two golds, a silver and two bronze medals on Saturday.

Gold medals winners were Caroline and Georgina Evers Swindell, who retained their double sculls title in the rowing, and Valerie Vili, who led the shot put from her first throw - which was a personal best.

Cyclist Hayden Roulston took silver in the individual pursuit.

Bronze medals were won by Mahe Drysdale in the single sculls and George Bridgewater and Nathan Twaddle in the men's pairs.

The medal run was achieved from 8pm Saturday - 2.30am Sunday (NZT).

It was New Zealand's most successful day in Olympic history, surpassing the four medals won in a single day at the Seoul Olympics in 1988.