The new-found friendship between Michaela Blyde and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce garnered plenty of Olympic headlines but there was a far deeper bond powering New Zealand’s defence of their rugby sevens title.

Risi Pouri-Lane and Jazmin Felix-Hotham, both 24, first played against each other as teenagers and have thrived since finding their way on to the same side.

They have enjoyed plenty of success at various competitions across the world, but the Paris triumph marked a particularly emotional triumph on the biggest stage of all.

Felix-Hotham was injured when New Zealand won gold at the 2018 Youth Olympics and had to watch from her hotel room as a travelling reserve, ‘bawling my eyes out’ with pride as Pouri-Lane and her teammates emerged victorious in Tokyo.

Their bond is unbreakable nowadays but that appeared a remote prospect when they first encountered each other as contrasting characters aged 16.

Felix-Hotham confessed that ‘she didn’t remember’ Pouri-Lane’s name but her own bubbly outlook meant there was no chance of that being replicated in reverse.

“I was pretty quiet, but I just remember this person singing all the time, 24/7 – I think I went deaf at one point,” Pouri-Lane said.

“That’s just Jazzy. When we were in separate teams, I was like ‘I’ve got Jazzy, no-one else mark her’.

“When we were on the same team, it was pretty cool to receive Jazzy’s long balls that she’d throw to me on the wing.

“It’s nice to reflect back on those little moments that we’ve had from school, age group, representative and making our way here.”

Felix-Hotham’s Olympic triumph is the latest step in a whirlwind July for her family. One of her older brothers, Noah, made his men’s All Blacks bow against Fiji – which Felix-Hotham set a 4.30am alarm for to watch from Paris – while the other, Legin, won touch rugby’s World Cup.

“I like to say save the best until last,” said Felix-Hotham.

“I’m the last sibling competing and hopefully now my jersey ends up on the wall instead of theirs.

“My parents are super proud. They are both here, with six aunties and uncles, 10 cousins, two of my best friends and their families.

“Noah is still with the All Blacks, which is so selfish that he hasn’t sacrificed the time to come and watch me after I supported him!

“It’s really special and I’m super proud to have my last name on the back of my jersey.”

Women’s Rugby Sevens at Paris 2024 was watched by a record-breaking 260,000 fans at Stade de France, peaking at 130,000 over two breathtaking sessions on Monday, the biggest ever day attendance for a women’s event. 

Pouri-Lane’s role in the Black Ferns Sevens camp has grown in the Paris cycle. Having been among the younger members of the Tokyo squad and stayed in constant touch with Felix-Hotham as she negotiated quarantine, she stepped into the captaincy earlier this year after Sarah Hirini’s injury.

Hirini returned to retake the role in Paris, but Pouri-Lane has enjoyed the challenge of building her leadership skills in recent months and capped her rise with a try in the gold medal match as New Zealand overcame Canada at the Stade de France.

“It has been a journey in terms of trying to navigate what it looks like for me,” she said.

“I’m trying not to get too much in my own head about what I should be like or what I could be doing, or what Gossy (Sarah Hirini) brings.

“The biggest thing is making sure I’m staying me, being authentic, bringing my best to the team and bringing the best out of people around us.

“It has been forced growth and an awesome challenge to be pushed into that space. There’s no-one I’d rather be on this journey with than Jazzy.”

The feeling is mutual, with Felix-Hotham proud of the way her friend has gone from a quiet voice in the corner to a leader of women.

“I’ve always admired Risi not just as a player on the field but as a character off it,” she said.

“I’d go to war with this girl, I’d do anything for her, so to be led out by her is an absolute privilege.”