The country finished 26th overall with nine medals, including three gold, their best performance since the Barcelona Games in 1992 and meeting their target of winning between eight and 10 medals.

 

But, based on an alternative table of medals won according to the size of a country's population, New Zealand finished fourth behind Bahamas, Jamaica and Slovenia.

 

Helen Clark has now promised to review the amount of funding New Zealand athletes receive to help them move further up the table in London in four years time.

 

She said: "I'm sure we'll have to spend more.

 

"The first thing is for Sparc (Sport and Recreation New Zealand) to do a review for Government on how the actual targeting of the high performance and most likely medal winning sports actually went and then have a look at what's a realistic budget.

 

"I don't have a feeling for how much more but what I know is that to do well at the Olympics, you can't just be the gifted amateur.

 

"You do need that total focus, you do need all the support that we can wrap around our athletes."

 

New Zealand spent NZ$65 million (£24.7 million) on high performance sport between Athens and Beijing, nearly £2 million less than UK Sport spent on athletics alone in Britain.

 

New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) president Barry Maister is hoping that any extra money could be used to prepare for London 2012 in Britain during the build-up to the Games.

 

He said: "These people are offering incentives for our sports to set up bases there

 

"I think these are the things we have to look at.

 

"The investment into British sport from UK Sport is unbelievable, not just in terms of athletes but with these high-performance centres across the UK."

 

Rowing NZ's high performance manager Andrew Matheson welcomed the idea of a link-up between New Zealand and Britain.

 

He said: "We spend a lot of time in Europe and the cost of that keeps going up enormously.

 

"We're going to have to increase funding just to do what we do now.

 

"We would certainly look at the UK possibilities."

 

But Bike NZ's high-performance manager Mark Elliott was not so enthusiastic.

 

He said: "England's a bit wet to be honest.

 

"We're looking for good weather and good tracks.

 

"There'll be times we'll be in there.

 

"We've just spent our build-up between Ghent in Belgium and Bordeaux.

 

"It's been fantastic.

 

"It's what you know but also where's the best racing?

 

"Not in England.

 

"The best racing's in Belgium, the best training is in the south of France.

 

"One of the best tracks in the world is in Bordeaux."

 

Maister welcomed Clark's promise of extra money.

 

He said: "We can never be totally happy, the world is moving on in terms of performance and if we stay still we will get further behind, so what that means is that in our review - which will take place when we get back - we have to look for another edge."