Valerie Adams has tucked into a lunch that included oysters and seafood chowder at Al Brown's SkyCity Federal St dinery The Depot today, ahead of her Olympic gold medal ceremony tonight.
"Seafood Chowder is the best here," she stopped to Tweet of her sustenance ahead
of the long-awaited night.
Earlier Adams told media at Auckland Airport she was overwhelmed by her welcome after flying in from Switzerland shortly before 6am.
And she commented on Twitter this afternoon: "Big ups to the guy who broke out into a solo haka at the airport. Thanks heap bro. Awesome."
Adams will receive her shot put gold medal tonight from the Governor-General at a public ceremony at The Cloud on Auckland's waterfront, in what will be the first time an Olympic medal is presented in New Zealand.
It has been more than a month since she won the shot put gold medal in London, after a drawn-out saga that saw disgraced Belarus shot putter Nadzeya Ostapchuk stripped of the title for drug use.
"I have had a look at the medal, it's very, very beautiful. But I am looking forward to tonight and just getting it over and done with and enjoying the moment.
"We're here and tonight's happening and we've just got to savour the moment and enjoy it."
Adams said the best part was seeing her family, including her children and sisters.
"I have missed them since March and it's great to be home."
The medal will be presented by Governor-General Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae, who is also a New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC) patron and travelled to London to support the New Zealand team.
Of the 2500 tickets to tonight's ceremony, about 500 have been reserved for sponsors and 2000 were to be given away in draws and competitions. Gold medallists Mahe Drysdale, Eric Murray, Hamish Bond, Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie, and other medallists and members of the 2012 Olympic team, will be present to watch the moment.
The ceremony, to be MCed by Laura McGoldrick and assisted by John Hawkesby, which will feature a big fireworks display, is being jointly hosted by the NZOC and official partner ANZ. It will also be livestreamed courtesy of the ANZ through NZ Herald here.
The Sky Tower will glow gold tonight in honour of Adams' ceremony and achievement.
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