Stories by Bridget Tunnicliffe

When weightlifter Laurel Hubbard competes at the Commonwealth Games on Monday, she will do so knowing a lot of people want her to fail.

Sophie Devine is enjoying the ride.

Sports Call - The fact that Australia had an easier time beating the Silver Ferns than England and South Africa in the Netball Quad series says a lot, writes Bridget Tunnicliffe.

Sports Call - In the race to outdo each other, the Australia are one step ahead of the Silver Ferns and it's been that way for a while, writes Bridget Tunnicliffe.

Sports Call - Time apart means already highly anticipated clashes between the Silver Ferns and Australia will carry even more intrigue when they meet next week.

There will be plenty of fresh young faces in the mix when as many as 28 players are named for the Silver Ferns' trials on Friday and one or two could well make the final cut.

It's touch and go whether two key weapons in the Southern Steel will be able to take the court for the ANZ premiership grand final on Wednesday.

High-profile lawyer Mai Chen says when she first came to New Zealand from Taiwan the teasing stopped on the sports field because she "could beat them".

Ethnicity changes and a greater range of options are putting pressure on some of New Zealand's traditional sports. Audio

Netball New Zealand better pick up the phone quick if they want Laura Langman in the Silver Ferns mix next year.

New Zealand's top netballers are confident they won't lose any ground against Australia when the new domestic competition starts this weekend, despite it missing their old rivals.

Sports Call: The Silver Ferns' international season has offered some glimpses of hope but it has also been an uncomfortable reminder that arch-rivals Australia continue to assume the role of big…

Sports Call - With Jamaica providing little challenge for the Silver Ferns ahead of their contest with Australia, Bridget Tunnicliffe asks whether Oceania's dominance is hurting the game.

- The New Zealand public may have high expectations for Olympic medal hope Lauren Boyle as she heads to Rio, but they are nothing on what the swimmer puts on herself.

Golden Moments - Peter Snell and Murray Halberg's an unprecedented golden double whammy continues to inspire more than half a century later.

Golden Moments - At the shot put final of the 2008 Beijing Olympics Valerie Adams attempted to win New Zealand's first gold in track and field since John Walker in 1976.

Golden Moments - Barbara Kendall burst into national prominence by winning gold in boardsailing at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.

Golden Moments - New Zealanders were expecting great results from Danyon Loader in Atlanta but could he handle the pressure?

Golden Moments - When triathlete Hamish Carter bombed in Sydney in 2000 all bets were that he had missed his shot at Olympic glory, but then came triumph over disaster.

Golden Moments - No one thought the New Zealand hockey team had a chance at the Montreal Olympics but a drama-filled game proved otherwise.

Golden Moments - Jack Lovelock won New Zealand's first Olympic gold for athletics and ensured his athletics immortality when, in front of Hitler, he ran in world record time.

One of our most closely-watched athletes in Rio will be Lauren Boyle, already one of New Zealand's greatest swimmers.

New Zealand has enjoyed great success in equestrian at the Olympics and Sir Mark Todd is at the heart of those achievements.

Golden Moments - Mark Todd's remarkable Olympic career spans four decades but his victory at Los Angeles in 1984 was probably the most dramatic.

Golden Moments - Yvette Williams' trailblazing feats more than 60 years ago still make her one of New Zealand's most cherished and inspiring athletes.