The 24-year-old athlete from Christchurch dominated the six-woman final, proving unbeatable over the closing lap as she added to the silver medal she won in the same event at the previous Games in Tokyo.

After advancing through the semi-finals, Andrews remained as calm as possible in the lead-up to the final and on the start line.

She said, 'I was just thinking about the simple things, and for me, it was just another round—I just needed to qualify, hopefully first this time!'Andrews took the lead on the penultimate lap and, despite the challengers lining up behind her, she could not be caught, winning by 0.

062 seconds from Dutch rider Hetty van de Wouw.

Great Britain's Emma Finucane took bronze.

Andrews expressed her strategy, 'I just wanted to go out there and execute the best that I could, to my strengths, and use the track, so yes, it did play out how I wanted.

'She acknowledged the challenge, 'I knew it would be a challenge at that point because I could feel the other riders on my hip, but I knew that I had to give it 100 percent.

' She told Sky Sports she was honored to become just the second New Zealand Olympic cycling gold medallist after Sarah Ulmer.

'It will take a long time to process and a long time to sink in.

Sarah Ulmer is an amazing bike rider, she's an amazing person, so to be beside her is incredible,' Andrews said.

She mentioned that having her father, Jon Andrews—a former New Zealand track cycling representative—as her coach made the victory even sweeter.

'I think that's special.

Most of the time, your parents are on the other side of the fence, so to have one trackside, on this side of the fence with me, is pretty unusual I'd say for the sport, but very special.

'It was a second medal of the Games for Andrews, who was part of the team on the opening night of track cycling competition in Versailles.

This adds to a career tally that includes a world championship gold in Glasgow last year, along with a trio of golds on the track at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Not many would have picked Rebecca Petch, Shaane Fulton, and Ellesse Andrews to make the final, their coach says.

New Zealand has close to a 200-strong team in Paris, some of whom are competing already while others don't line up till the final day.

The US is expected to top the medal table again and France is forecast for a top-five finish, but New Zealand's tally is predicted to be less than the last games.

Sometimes it's important to try and watch sport through a child's eyes.

When your hobby becomes your profession, it's hard not to lose some of the joy.