Kerri Pottharst Olympic gold medalist: Five places that made me

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 7 years ago

Kerri Pottharst Olympic gold medalist: Five places that made me

By Julietta Jameson
Kerri Pottharst returns to Bondi Beach, where she won Olympic gold, every year.

Kerri Pottharst returns to Bondi Beach, where she won Olympic gold, every year.

ANDAMOOKA OPAL FIELDS, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

My parents were always taking us on caravan trips around South Australia when we were young. We visited the opal fields many times and I'd squat next to my grandmother who had just arrived from Germany, searching through the piles of stones by the mines, looking for tiny opals that we would collect and take home. She was to be a huge part of my upbringing.

GOOLWA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

As a teenager, I spent countless weekends in this little coastal town south of Adelaide. We had so much family fun here. We had a holiday home with our own jetty on the river. We even bought a speed boat. I remember skiing behind the boat one day and Dad was so careful and going so slow – he flatly refused to let me go fast – I think I was almost drowning.

It was also where I was first starting to take an interest in boys and I spent many weekends "skiing" with another family who had three sons.

JAPAN

From 18 I represented Australia as an indoor player. Japan was one of the countries that welcomed our women's national team with open arms. We had at least one trip to somewhere in Japan each year, for about eight years in a row. I loved the cleanliness, the tidy little towns and the shy, humble nature of the Japanese people. I'll always remember walking into a shoe shop in Yokohama, all 184 centimetres tall and blonde and the ladies giggled behind their hands and looked very embarrassed. They'd probably never seen someone so tall looking for size 9½ shoes in their little store.

BOLOGNA, ITALY

When I first realised that I was pretty good at my sport, I quit my job and against most people's advice, travelled to Europe in the hope of getting a contract with a professional volleyball club. I knew someone who knew someone with a link to a club in Bologna. A beautiful town in the north of Italy, close to Venice. One of the best eight months of volleyball I have ever played. Hard work, lonely at times, pressure each match, but I loved it and it shaped me into the beach volleyball player I would become.

Advertisement

BONDI BEACH, SYDNEY

One of the most famous beaches in the world just happens to be the beach where I won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in 2000 – the most memorable and incredible moment of my life. Every year I go to the beach, most times with Natalie Cook (with whom I won the medal) and just sit and reflect how we got there, the moment we won and how my life has changed since winning. I am forever grateful.

The world's best beach volleyballers compete during Volleyfest at Manly Beach, New South Wales, March 17-27. See volleyfest.com.au

Sign up for the Traveller newsletter

The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.

Most viewed on Traveller

Loading