About to turn 30, Ariane Adlington changed her life. Made with funding from NZ On Air.
A gold medal win at Ariane Adlington's international boxing debut has given the Tauranga athlete a taste of international success, making her hungry for more.
It's not a bad place to be in, adding some extra motivation to fuel the fire as she heads into her 2019 season.
The Tauranga amateur boxer was one of two from the city selected to represent New Zealand at last week's Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia.
Adlington took gold in her 69kg weight division at the event, after beating fellow Kiwi teammates Bree Cumming in the semifinal and Pelea Fruean, who was also her roommate, in the final.
Adlington received a majority 4-1 decision from the ringside judges to claim her first international title.
Tauranga's Michelle Nuku finished with a bronze medal in her 60kg division after losing her bout with Queensland boxer Kendall Byrnes in a majority decision.
The Tauranga pair were among 13 amateur boxers representing New Zealand at the Northern Territory sporting festival.
Adlington says although she would have liked to win against fighters from another country rather than ones from her own team, she gained a lot from fighting athletes she hadn't faced before.
"We're there for a reason and ... you just put all of that aside at the end of the day.
"You get in the ring and they're your opponent and then you're out of the ring and they're your teammate."
Tauranga amateur boxers Ariane Adlington (front, fourth from left) and Michelle Nuku (front, fifth from left) with their fellow New Zealand team members at the Arafura Games. Photo / Supplied
She loved the experience of representing New Zealand internationally and wants to do more of it.
"It was incredible, it was really cool. It was like a real huge growth time for me in every aspect of like, just personal and my sporting, I learned so much from everyone there.
"The different coaches have different things to offer and just being surrounded by like-minded people as well, it was really cool.
"Hopefully I get the call-up to do another one," she says.
"I'm so amped to get back in the ring."
Before the Arafura Games it had been eight months since Adlington's last fight and she is glad she won't have to wait as long for her next.
"We have Golden Gloves in three or four weeks so I'm ... back training hard.
"I've hardly even had a rest and I'm ... ready to go again."
