Kiwi sport’s top 10 to-dos

New Zealand sportspeople have achieved much in recent years but several firsts remain.

1. Break 10s for 100m

As many as 93 men have broken the 10s barrier since American Jim Hines (9.95s) beat the mark in 1968 but a New Zealander is not among them. Ghanaian-born Gus Nketia came closest at the 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria when he clocked 10.11s.

2. Win Premier League

Only six Kiwis have played in the English Premier League but none have won a trophy, let alone the league. Wynton Rufer is the only New Zealand footballer to claim a major honour, helping Werder Bremen to the Bundesliga and Cup Winners’ Cup in 1992-93.

3. Win Tour de France stage

Jack Bauer was 50m from history when caught by the peloton. Julian Dean and Chris Jenner have won Tour de France team time trial stages. Vuelta Espana stage winners Paul Jesson (1980) and Greg Henderson (2009) are the only Kiwis to win a stage of one of the three grand tours.

4. Tennis or golf world No 1

Official tennis and golf rankings didn’t start until 1973 and 1986 respectively. Anthony Wilding may well have been recognised as the world’s No 1 tennis player after four Wimbledon titles (191013) and two Australian Opens (1906, 1909), and Bob Charles was among the best in the 1960s.

5. Win Cricket World Cup

New Zealand have made six semis in 10 50-over tournaments and also have a best of fourth (2007) at the Twenty20 World Cup. The White Ferns won their World Cup in 2000 on home soil.

6. Win NRL title

The Warriors lost the only NRL finals (2002, 2011) they’ve made in their 20-year history — some way off being the “best sporting franchise in Australasia”.

7. Win Winter Olympic gold

Annalise Coberger came closest in Albertville in 1992 with silver in the women’s slalom and her medal remains the only by a New Zealander at the Winter Games.

8. Win A-League title

The Kingz and Knights failed between 1999 and 2007, while the Phoenix0 ==, about to start their eighth season, are still striving to become the first New Zealand side to win Australia’s top league.

9. First pro sumo wrestler

Nationalities as diverse as Samoa Mongolia, Argentina and Estonia have wrestled but not a Kiwi. Some foreign fighters have been known as The Dump Truck, South Seas Dragon and Heavenly Mountain Harp. How about The Greenstone Grappler, No 8 Wire Cutter or Terrible Taniwha?

10. Win a World Cup away

The All Blacks will aim to rectify this one in the UK next year.