Magic 45 minutes
Encyclopedia
The Magic 45 Minutes describes the duration of one of the most rewarding sporting periods in the history of New Zealand
during which four New Zealand rowing teams won gold medals in four successive finals to be the most successful country at the 2005 World Rowing Championships
in Gifu
, Japan
.
It was the first time any country had won four golds at any world championships since the former East Germany in 1987, an achievement which prompted New Zealand's largest newspaper, the NZ Herald, to scream "FOARSOME" in a banner headline.
New Zealand has a population creeping just over 4,000,000 - roughly a fifth of the population of Metropolitan New York
- but is internationally recognised as regularly punching well above its weight in international sporting competition.
New Zealand has previously won four Olympic
golds in a single sport (canoeing
) at a single games but that was over two days on Lake Casitas at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics . The previous shortest time between winning gold medals was less than an hour when the great Peter Snell
(800 m) and Murray Halberg
( 5000 m) triumphed at the Rome Olympics
in 1960.
On this Magic 45 Minutes occasion, New Zealand had five teams in the rowing finals, an achievement which astonished the international rowing fraternity at Giva. Kiwis
back at home in New Zealand were hoping that maybe two gold medals would be achievable. But in only 45 minutes, the Kiwis won four golds and the New Zealand flag proudly flew four times as the National Anthem
was played four times in succession.
The four victories were:
The men's coxless four of Donald Leach, Carl Meyer, Eric Murray and Steven Cottle finished sixth in their final.
was named the 2005 Coach of the Year by FISA, the International Rowing Federation, and the Evers-Swindell sisters were named Female Crew of the Year.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
during which four New Zealand rowing teams won gold medals in four successive finals to be the most successful country at the 2005 World Rowing Championships
World Rowing Championships
The World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA . It is a week long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the international rowing calendar.The first event was held in Lucerne, Switzerland in 1962...
in Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
It was the first time any country had won four golds at any world championships since the former East Germany in 1987, an achievement which prompted New Zealand's largest newspaper, the NZ Herald, to scream "FOARSOME" in a banner headline.
New Zealand has a population creeping just over 4,000,000 - roughly a fifth of the population of Metropolitan New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
- but is internationally recognised as regularly punching well above its weight in international sporting competition.
New Zealand has previously won four Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
golds in a single sport (canoeing
Canoeing
Canoeing is an outdoor activity that involves a special kind of canoe.Open canoes may be 'poled' , sailed, 'lined and tracked' or even 'gunnel-bobbed'....
) at a single games but that was over two days on Lake Casitas at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics . The previous shortest time between winning gold medals was less than an hour when the great Peter Snell
Peter Snell
Sir Peter George Snell, KNZM, MBE is a former New Zealand athlete, now resident in Texas, United States. He had one of the shortest careers of world famous international sportsmen, yet achieved so much that he was voted New Zealand’s "Sports Champion of the Century"...
(800 m) and Murray Halberg
Murray Halberg
Sir Murray Gordon Halberg, ONZ, MBE is a former New Zealand middle distance runner who won the gold medal in the 5000 metres event at the 1960 Olympics. He also won gold medals in the 3 miles events at the 1958 and 1962 Commonwealth Games...
( 5000 m) triumphed at the Rome Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
in 1960.
On this Magic 45 Minutes occasion, New Zealand had five teams in the rowing finals, an achievement which astonished the international rowing fraternity at Giva. Kiwis
Kiwi (people)
Kiwi is the nickname used internationally for people from New Zealand, as well as being a relatively common self-reference. The name derives from the kiwi, a flightless bird, which is native to, and the national symbol of, New Zealand...
back at home in New Zealand were hoping that maybe two gold medals would be achievable. But in only 45 minutes, the Kiwis won four golds and the New Zealand flag proudly flew four times as the National Anthem
God Defend New Zealand
"God Defend New Zealand" is one of two national anthems of New Zealand, the other being "God Save the Queen". Legally they have equal status, but "God Defend New Zealand" is more commonly used, and is popularly referred to as "the national anthem"...
was played four times in succession.
The four victories were:
- Mahé DrysdaleMahe DrysdaleAlexander Mahé Owens Drysdale, MNZM ) is a New Zealand rower and five-time World Champion single sculler. The name Mahé came from the largest island in the Seychelles....
of TaurangaTaurangaTauranga is the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region, in the North Island of New Zealand.It was settled by Europeans in the early 19th century and was constituted as a city in 1963...
, in the men's single sculls, won gold from the current Olympic champion, Olaf TufteOlaf TufteOlaf Karl Tufte is a Norwegian competition rower.At the 2004 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Olympics he won the gold medal in the men's single sculls. He won silver in the men's double sculls at the 2000 Summer Olympics together with Fredrik Bekken...
, of NorwayNorwayNorway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. New Zealand was searching for a single sculler to succeed Rob WaddellRob WaddellRobert "Rob" Norman Waddell, ONZM, is a New Zealand rower, yachtsman and rugby union player. Waddell has one of the highest VO2 max intake levels of any athlete ever tested. He holds the fastest 2000 metre indoor rowing machine time in the world, clocking a time of 5 mins 36.6 secs...
who had won the world championships in 1998 and 1999 and a gold medal the Sydney Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
, and unexpectedly, here he was.
- Juliette Haigh and Nicky Coles, in the women's coxless pair, won from Australians Natalie Bale and Sarah Outhwaite. It was vindication for Haigh and Coles who embarrassingly fell into the water at the 2004 OlympicsRowing at the 2004 Summer OlympicsRowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre and featured 550 competitors taking part in 14 events....
at AthensAthensAthens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
and therefore could not display their talents.
- George BridgewaterGeorge BridgewaterGeorge Bridgewater, MNZM, is a New Zealand rower who currently competes in the pair at international level with Nathan Twaddle. The pair won bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing...
and Nathan TwaddleNathan TwaddleNathan Twaddle, MNZM is a rower from New Zealand and Olympic medallist. He competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, in the coxless pair rowing with his partner George Bridgewater and came out with a bronze medal....
, in the men's coxless pair, defeated South AfricaSouth AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
with ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
third.
- Identical twin sisters CarolineCaroline Evers-SwindellCaroline Meyer formerly known as Caroline Evers-Swindell is a former New Zealand rower. She is 179 cm tall and 80kg. She competed in the double sculls with her identical twin sister Georgina Earl...
and Georgina Evers-SwindellGeorgina Evers-SwindellGeorgina Earl, formerly known as Georgina Evers-Swindell is a former New Zealand rower. She competed in the double sculls with her identical twin sister Caroline Meyer, and is a double Olympic gold medalist, having won at Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008...
won the women's double sculls, defeating BulgariaBulgariaBulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, with Australia third. As they had previously won world titles, and the gold medal at Athens, they were confidently expected to perform well and did not let their legion of Kiwi fans down.
The men's coxless four of Donald Leach, Carl Meyer, Eric Murray and Steven Cottle finished sixth in their final.
FISA awards
In November 2005, New Zealand head coach, Dick TonksDick Tonks
Richard William Tonks is a former New Zealand rower who won an Olympic silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich....
was named the 2005 Coach of the Year by FISA, the International Rowing Federation, and the Evers-Swindell sisters were named Female Crew of the Year.