The sounds of haka rang out of Tauranga City Airport last night as two local athletes were given a hero's reception.
Gold medals still hung from the necks of Mitchell Brown and Nigel Old as they walked through the glass doors of the airport to a thunderous applause from about 50
friends and family.
Brown won gold, silver and bronze while Old won gold at this year's Special Olympics World Summer Games in Athens.
Waiting to welcome them home were friends from Te Puna's Avalon disability village and other competitors from the Special Olympics.
The village's kapa haka group honoured the athletes with a haka and waiata before swamping them in hugs and handshakes.
Brown said their Tauranga homecoming was a real surprise.
Brown, who lives with balance and vision impairment, said he was proud of his achievement. He won gold in the men's 4x100m relay, silver in the 200m and bronze in the 100m.
Brown didn't realise when he had won gold "because I was doing a relay and I was the third runner and I gave it to a guy from Christchurch called Andrew and as soon as I gave it to him I was going 'keep going, keep going, move those little legs of yours'. He was only small."
Brown said it was an awesome feeling to compete in the stadium.
Coach at the games Max Brooking said Brown made up for his weakness with determination.
Old, who has a condition affecting his brain, was shocked at his win, and the welcome.
"I thought there could be some people there but I didn't expect such a big crowd."
Old won gold in the 9-hole golf. He spent months training at Tauranga Golf Course with coach Andrea Sinden.
"He was excited and worked hard to achieve his goals to get there and he did," she said.
"He's brought home gold. I'm a very proud coach."
Louella Axon, chairperson for Special Olympics Tauranga, said the club was very proud of the athletes' achievements.
"The total medal count for the New Zealand team was 34, so Mitch and Nigel have made a great contribution to that overall tally."
