Portia Woodman (left) and Kelly Brazier of Team New Zealand celebrate after the 26-12 finale against France. Photo / Dan Mullan (Getty Images)
Rugby power woman Portia Woodman brings home Northland's first Olympic Gold after her team beat France 26-12 in the Rugby Sevens final on Saturday.
It was Woodman's second go at getting gold after losing out against Australia in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro final.
"Still pinching myself," writes the 30-year old on social media.
The number 11 from Kawakawa returned to New Zealand yesterday
and is currently getting settled in managed isolation.
Besides playing provincial rugby for her home region, Te Tai Tokerau, Woodman (Ngāpuhi) made her international rugby debut in 2013.
She has since won the 2013 and 2018 World Cup Sevens tournaments and the 2017 World Cup, where she made headlines after scoring 13 tries.
In 2015, Woodman was named the World Rugby Women's Sevens Player of the Year gaining her recognition on the global rugby stage.
The Tokyo win also gains Woodman her second gold medal after taking out the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
After tearing her Achilles tendon in 2019, the 30-year-old was forced into a lengthy break but returned to the field last year with the pace and strength she is known for amongst her teammates.
Six of eight Northland Olympians missed out on a spot on the podium in Tokyo.
The Women's hockey team with Olympic debutant Katie Doar, defender Ella Gunson and Black Sticks captain Stacey Michelsen left the tournament during the group stages.
Northland footballers Abby Erceg, who played her fourth Olympic Games, along with Hannah Wilkinson, who joined the squad for a third time, also lost out in the group stages.
First-time Olympian swimmer Hayley McIntosh and triathlete Simone Ackermann from Whangārei who competed for her country of birth, South Africa, also went home without medals.
Meanwhile, Blair Tuke with sailing partner Peter Burling competed in the Men's 49er last night. The competition was still going at the time of the edition.
The pair have written New Zealand sailing history as captains for the New Zealand team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and gold medallist in the Men's 49er. A year later, Tuke and Burling helped win the 2017 America's Cup as part of the Emirates Team New Zealand.
Together with Burling, Kawakawa man Tuke has won six world 49er championship titles.
All Olympic athletes will have to go through managed isolation as they return to New Zealand this week.
Police said a neighbour found the person following the fire in Kaitāia.