‘‘It’s so surreal. I’m still soaking up the atmosphere and the feeling,’’ captain Risaleaana Pouri-Lane said.
While their overall campaign had been dominant, the Baby Ferns had to work for a come-from-behind victory against France, eventually getting the win 15-12.
‘‘We knew we had a target on our back,’’ Tiana Davison said.
‘‘But that’s like a drive for us, to push through that. We were thriving not surviving today and it’s absolutely incredible.
‘‘This has been a way to show we can thrive at the next level.’’
Just weeks out from the Youth Olympic Games, the team lost three players to injury.
‘‘Just to think of everything we’ve been through as a team, having three new players come in, and to have this gold medal . . . well, it’s surreal,’’ Pouri-Lane said.
They put their success as a squad down to the culture coach Jimmy Sinclair helped install in the side.
‘‘We had our own individual patu (Maori club),’’ Davison said.
‘‘His name’s Pat — he’s our strength and we used him as our weapon today.’’
Meanwhile, Tauranga paddler Finn Anderson won silver in the C1 slalom competition.
‘‘I feel pretty awesome. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,’’ Anderson said.
‘‘Props to Mauritius for winning gold. I just couldn’t keep up with him (winner Terence Saramandif) — he was going seriously fast.’’
Anderson spent all day on the water, with temperatures in Buenos Aires hitting 26degC.
Team-mates Kahlia Cullwick and George Snook will contest their slalom races today.
In the eliminator cycling race, Sammie Maxwell made it to the quarterfinals despite having been involved in a crash in the road race the day earlier.
‘‘I’ve got grazes on my chin, my chest, knees, shoulders and a few on my hips, but luckily the head didn’t get knocked,’’ Maxwell said.
Maxwell’s team-mates, Phoebe Young (Wanaka) and Max Taylor, will race again today in the mountain bike.
Young placed second in the road race event in the women’s combined and also reached the quarterfinal round of the cross-country eliminator.
