Local athletes hold high medal hopes

EYES ON THE PRIZE: Chris Sharp will compete at the Paralympics in September in the 3-person keelboat event (Sonar) with crew mates Rick Dodson and Andrew May. PICTURES/SUPPLIED

The countdown has well and truly begun for the three Far North athletes who form part of what will be the largest contingent ever to represent Northland at the Olympics/ Paralympics events.

In last Saturday's paper, Northern Advocate sports reporter Andrew Johnson noted the Northland contingent heading to Rio for the Olympics and Paralympics included 11 athletes and three para-athletes competing across eight disciplines, along with two officials.

Those representing the Far North in the Northland contingent are Blair Tuke (Kerikeri, sailing), Portia Woodman (Kaikohe women's sevens) and Chris Sharp (para-sailing). The remaining Whangarei-based athletes are, Shay Neal (men's hockey), Charlotte Harrison, Stacey Michelsen, Brooke Neal (all women's hockey), Abby Erceg, Hannah Wilkinson (women's football), Cameron Leslie (para-swimming), and Emma Foy (para-cycling); with Jacob Lawgun heading over as the assistant coach for the power lifting, while James Morris will be an official at the table tennis.

Tuke and Woodman have both been profiled strongly in the New Zealand Herald recently ahead of of the looming Olympics.

An article on the preparations by Tuke earlier this month (Ultimate reward beckons in Rio) saw Herald reporter Dana Johannsen visiting the Kerikeri sailor's home in Apple Bay in Kerikeri while he was hosting various other members of the New Zealand sailing team including his 49-er team partner, Peter Burling from Tauranga.

Observing Tuke and Burling training off Opito Bay, Johannsen noted the duo remained overwhelming favourites to take gold in the 49er class at Rio, in having been unbeaten since claiming silver at the London Olympics in 2012.

"They have notched up 27 wins on the trot ... Burling and Tuke win in light air. They win in heavy breeze. They win in shifty conditions. They win after leading start to finish. They win after poor starts. They even win when they turn up late to regattas.

"Should they go on to claim gold, the pair would have won every regatta of the entire quadrennial," she said, adding it was widely regarded that Tuke, who grew up in Kerikeri, and will be 25 at his third Olympics, has also had a "mellowing effect" on the intensely focused Burling.

And it was a fearsome looking Woodman saying, "I love dominating my opponents," when she appeared in the Herald Weekend supplement, Canvas, last Saturday as the covergirl for the Brett Phibbs' photoessay On the road to Rio: five young New Zealand Olympians chasing their dream) on five Kiwis preparing to mark their Olympics debut.

Johnsen noted Tuke shapes as Northland's greatest hope for Olympic gold (with the sailing taking place from August 8-18), although the sevens (August 6-11) and women's hockey team were also regarded as strong medal prospects. The Mid North-born Woodman - who turned 25 on Tuesday - and the New Zealand Women's Sevens teams also stand a good chance of making the podium although they were well-pipped for the overall IRB 2015/16 world championship title this year by arch-rivals Australia.

As well, former Northern Advocate sports reporter Cameron Leslie is a hot favourite for gold in the Paralympics pool at Rio; while the 57-year-old Kaikohe born Chris Sharp was extremely confident of his medal chances in the sonar class at the upcoming Paralympics when profiled by the Age last month.

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Sport Northland chief executive Brent Eastwood told the Advocate it was great to see so many Northlanders heading to Rio.

"It goes to show what we have always thought. Northland probably punches above its weight when it comes to national sporting selections, given our population and low socio-economic status ... We are certainly a feeder province, but we know the talent exists here in Northland, the issue for Northland is always to identify and develop that talent with the resources we have.

"Having so many Northland Olympians is fantastic in terms of role-modelling for our youngsters," Eastwood continued. "Our youth look up to these athletes and are inspired to think that they can go on to represent New Zealand on the world stage having grown up in Northland."

- The above Northland contingent will either represent NZZ at either the 2016 Rio Olympic Games from August 5-21; or the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from September 7-18.