Eight gold medals for New Zealand, says Sports Illustrated

Eight gold meals, eight silver and three bronze are to be New Zealand's lot at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janiero if Sports Illustrated's quadrennial pick for medals is to be believed.

Significantly among those from New Zealand, the American sports magazine doesn't believe shot putter Valerie Adams will be able to defend her title from London in 2012 with China's Gong Lijiao rated the gold medal prospect.

Also Lydia Ko is not tipped for gold in women's golf which is making a reappearance after last being played in 1900. Canada's Brooke Henderson is rated ahead of the world No.1.

New Zealand has the favouritism for the men's rugby sevens with Fiji picked to take the silver medal and South Africa the bronze.

Australia's women are tipped to win the women's sevens ahead of New Zealand.

In rowing, where New Zealand has been the dominant team in recent years at World Cup and World championship level, there are only two gold medal tips, They are Mahe Drysdale in the single sculls, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray in the men's pair without cox.

Kayaker Lisa Carrington is picked to win gold in both the women's 200m and 500m singles while in cycling the New Zealand men's sprint team is picked to win gold while in the women's events Linda Villumsen is Sports Illustrated's prospect for gold in the time trial.

Sports Illustrated's predictions for New Zealanders at Rio Olympics:

Canoeing

200m Kayak Singles, Lisa Carrington, gold

500m Kayak singles, Lisa Carrington, gold

Cycling

Men's

Keirin, Eddie Dawkins, silver

Team Sprint, New Zealand, gold

Team pursuit, New Zealand, bronze

Women's

Time trial, Linda Villumsen, gold

Golf

Women's, Lydia Ko, silver

Rowing

Men's

Single sculls, Mahe Drysdale, gold

Double sculls, Chris Harris and Robbie Manson, silver

Pair without cox, Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, gold

Lightweight four without cox, New Zealand, silver

Women's

Single sculls, Emma Twigg, silver

Double sculls, Eve Macfarlane and Zoe Stevenson, bronze

Pair without cox, Rebecca Scown and Genevieve Behrent, bronze

Women's eight, New Zealand, silver

Rugby Sevens

Men's

New Zealand, gold

Women's

New Zealand, silver

Sailing

Men's

49er skiff, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, gold

Track and field

Women's

Shot put, Valerie Adams, silver

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