Christchurch rower Grace Prendergast and Kerri Gowler crossed the line in 6min 60.19sec to win the women's coxless pair title today.
The duo, who set a world-best time in their semifinal yesterday, trailed Canada narrowly at the halfway point but surged ahead from there.
Canada fell back to third, two seconds behind the New Zealand crew.
The Russian Olympic Committee finished second, one second behind Prendergast and Gowler. Great Britain were fourth, Greece sixth and Spain finished last.
Prendergast, whose parents live in Halswell, began rowing for Villa Maria College out of Avon Rowing Club in Christchurch in 2007.
She made her first New Zealand team as part of the junior women’s four in 2010. This crew went on to win gold at the World Rowing Junior Championships in Racice, Czech Republic.
The world champion pair, who have been racing together since 2014, are just the third female Kiwi crew to win an Olympic gold.
Prendergast called the final a "whirlwind".
"It was a hard race but we knew from practice that we were faster. We were just heads down and go - and it was going really fast.
"It's been such a good season but this is the cherry on top to come out on top. I am just so stoked!"
Sally Prendergast, Grace's mother, told Sky Sport she could hardly watch the race.
"It was awful, just awful! There was a lot of emotion because of the pressure on them. The Olympics is such a step up - and look at how close the race was, it was hard to watch," said Sally Prendergast, who was watching the race from the New Zealand team headquarters in Auckland.
"I am just so proud of Grace and Kerri. We've waited so long and the day has finally arrived! I'll have to rewatch the race because I missed so much."
Her daughter made the most of not having family in Tokyo by training harder than ever before, Sally said.
"They did a lot more training ... turned a negative into a positive and they told us before that they were getting faster. We're not there with them but we are - with every row and every stroke."
Prendergast and Gowler have another shot at gold when they join the rest of the women's eight in tomorrow's final.
"Thanks for all the support, it's been such a long campaign... five years, and I'm gutted everyone can't be here with us. But we hope we have made you proud!"
"We crossed and I was like 'Was someone ahead of us?' I was just so focused on us so I was like 'Did we do it?'. Honestly, I can't believe it."
The medal is New Zealand's fourth of the Games, following silver in the men's sevens and women's double sculls, as well as Hayden Wilde's triathlon bronze.
• Emma Twigg is set to compete in the women's single sculls semifinal at 1.50pm today where she will be aiming to make her third Olympic final in the event.
- By Jeff Cheshire and NZ Herald
