The most decorated New Zealand Winter Olympic team ever has arrived back on home soil to a warm reception.
Bronze medal-winning 16-years-olds Zoi Sadowski-Synnott and Nico Porteous, both draped in New Zealand flags, lead the contingent through the arrivals gate at Auckland Airport after returning from Pyeongchang, where they were greeted by a haka.
The teenagers became the first New Zealanders to take the podium in a Winter Games since slalom skier Annelise Coberger took silver in Albertville in 1992, ending a 26-year drought.
Freeskier Porteous admits his achivement is yet to hit home, and he's still only seen the footage of his decisive freeski halfpipe run once.
"I'll have a look back in a little while...let my brain really take it all in," he told Newshub.
"It's not going to sink for at least a month, but I'm just going to keep being myself and just really continue to work hard and just keep skiing."
Sadowski-Synott, who would've also qualifed to compete for both the USA and Australia, said her decision to complete in black was a "no brainer."
"I've lived in New Zealand most of my life, I call NZ home. I go to school in NZ, my Dad's a Kiwi, I'm a Kiwi. So it wasn't really a choice, it was always New Zealand," said the Wanaka teen, laughing off Australia's attempts to stamp a claim on her talents.
Despite being sprung into the national limelight, the Wanaka teen isn;t expecting any special treatment when she returns to the south, and she'd have it no other way.
"I hope it's all the same. I hope everything's quite normal."
New Zealand finished their campaign in South Korea tied for 26th on the medal table with Spain, above the likes of Argentina and Croatia.
Newshub.
