Rowers win first Tokyo 2020 gold medals for New Zealand, Ireland Xinhua 30 Jul 2021, 04:18 GMT+10 TOKYO, July 29 (Xinhua) -- The first gold medals for New Zealand and Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics both came in the rowing regatta here on Thursday. Two-time world champions Kerri Gowler and Grace Prendergast of New Zealand came from behind to win their first Olympic gold in the women's pair competition. The duo were part of the New Zealand team that finished fourth in women's eight at Rio 2016, and this time they bagged home a gold medal in six minutes and 50.19 seconds. Vasilisa Stepanova and Elena Oriabinskaia finished 1.26 seconds behind to win the silver for the Russian Olympic Committee. Canada's world champions Caileigh Filmer and Hillary Janssens, who beat the New Zealanders at the 2018 World Championship, had to settle for bronze in 6:52.10, despite leading the first 1,000m.