Lilly Cocks holds Portia Woodman's Olympic silver medal when the Black Ferns star called in to the BestStart ABC Kaikohe early childhood centre on Monday. Photo / Debbie Beadle
Lilly Cocks holds Portia Woodman's Olympic silver medal when the Black Ferns star called in to the BestStart ABC Kaikohe early childhood centre on Monday. Photo / Debbie Beadle
As a superstar of New Zealand sport, Portia Woodman returned to her home town earlier this weekend to share her silver medal success won at the Rio Olympics with the local community.
Fresh from helping the Black Ferns 15-a-side team deliver comprehensive back-to-back hidings over their arch rivals the Wallarooslast month, Portia made the most of a brief break from her hectic international schedule - where she is in high demand by both Black Ferns and Black Ferns Sevens selectors - to come home and catch up with friends and family.
Last Friday, she attended the Kaitaia College prize giving while on Monday, she called in to primary schools at Waima, Kaikohe East and Okaihau, popped into the Kaikohe branch of the BNZ and also caught up with staff and children at the BestStart ABC Kaikohe early childhood centre.
BestStart manager Ata Witana laughed when asked why Portia had chosen to visit her centre.
"It's not what you know, it's who you know," she replied, as Portia was her niece (Ata is the sister to Kawhena Woodman, Portia's father).
Ata went on to say that while some of the children were a bit too young to be completely familiar with who the Black Ferns were, the school had held its own mini Olympics at the same time as the actual event in Rio where each child was presented with a medal.
Portia's visit with the real thing, an Olympics silver medal, helped to reinforce the concept.
Meanwhile, another family member noted that despite her status as New Zealand sporting royalty, the visit by Portia showed she hadn't forgotten her roots.
The homecoming also allowed her to connect with her mid north whanau, many demanding she sit through multiple replays of her performances with the Black Ferns in the two recent trans-Tasman clashes against Australia.
The 25 year old was a key component for the Black Ferns which continued their domination of their Australian counterparts in the 15-a-side arena with a record-setting 67-3 win at Eden Park on October 22.
The Black Ferns piled on 11 unanswered tries while romping to their 14th consecutive victory over the Wallaroos in the curtainraiser to the All Blacks vs Wallabies Bledisloe Cup test. The Black Ferns backed that up by beating the Wallaroos 29-3 at Albany on Wednesday last week.
Portia stayed with her uncle Bill Dalton, while other aunties and cousins shared her around their extended family and friends.
"We are all very excited about the [Black Ferns 15s'] Northern Hemisphere tour to England and Ireland in November," the family member said. Portia's marae at Ngawha was planning to host a 'welcome back' dinner in early December on her return.
