Poroporo’s Mahina Paul and Rūātoki’s Stacey Waaka can call themselves Olympic gold medallists.

For Waaka, it’s the second time, having previously won gold with the Black Ferns Sevens in Tokyo, but for Paul it is a first.

It was a tightly contested final against Canada, which the Black Ferns won 19-12, thanks to a well-finished team effort from Waaka, who scored the winning try.

Although Paul didn’t get on the field in the final, she had a fantastic tournament and managed to score two impressive tries in the team’s quarter-final hammering of China.

While Tokyo was special, this gold will mean so much more for Waaka as they played in front of a packed-out crowd, and friends and family were able to be there to support. They were also able to send their two teammates, Tyla King and Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, off to new pastures in style.

Most of New Zealand got up early to support the Black Ferns in their quest for gold, but there would have more coming from the Eastern Bay than anywhere else to help cheer Waaka and Paul on.

Waaka said via social media that it was an amazing experience in Paris.

“A proud moment to know that we did it with our whole squad of 20 and management team. It’s been a long 10 months, but it’s worth it.

“To New Zealand, this one was for you. Thank you whānau and friends for all your support. Gold medal baby, we are coming home.”

On the way to Olympic glory, the women’s team started with an impressive 43-5 hammering of China, before going out and defeating Canada 33-7.

In their final pool game, New Zealand ran out 38-7 winners over Fiji.

Paul and Waaka managed to dot down throughout the tournament.

Then it was to the quarterfinals where New Zealand, who were the top qualifiers of the 12-teams competing, demolished eighth-placed China, 55-5, before defeating the USA, 24-12, in their semifinal.

Many people expected it to be Australia and New Zealand in the final, but the former was knocked over by Canada in the semi-finals.

Both women said before the tournament that gold was the focus, and the team had been working incredibly hard to make that happen.

It was a bittersweet moment for Paul, who was a reserve at Tokyo three years ago, to now have a gold medal shows the dedication and hard graft she’s put in.

Waaka will now head to Brisbane where she will join the Brisbane Broncos wāhine side for the remainder of NRLW, while Paul will no doubt take a well-deserved break and may be enticed to don the boots for Bay of Plenty in the Farah Palmer Cup.