Former Wyndham resident Marissa Williamson Pohlman’s Olympic dream has come true after being named in Australia’s boxing team for the Paris Games.
Australia announced a 12 member team for the Olympics last week as the country seeks to break its gold medal drought in boxing at the Olympics.
The Australian boxing team has doubled its women’s contingent from three at the last Games to six this time round.
Williamson Pohlman is the first Indigenous woman to represent Australia in boxing. She grew up in Wyndham living in a number of different homes.
The 22-year-old said competing at the top level continued the journey of a “naughty foster kid” from Melbourne’s western suburbs.
“I started boxing when I was 17 … I was getting into fights at school, I just loved to punch-on,” she told AAP.
“Boxing really resonated with me, being allowed to actually do it, and then I just sort of fell in love with the sport.”
The Ngarrindjeri woman said representing Indigenous Australians – both inside and outside the ring – drove her on.
“I like putting my people on the map, sometimes when I’m going overseas, people don’t even know Australia has a black history and a black future,” she said.
“I’m walking in two worlds, competing for Australia, but also working outside of the sport I have a career in Aboriginal Affairs and I’m keen to keep pursuing that once my Olympic journey is over.”
Olympic bronze medallist Harry Garside headlines record Australian Olympic boxing team
He said he’d be betraying his younger self if he didn’t head to this year’s Paris Olympics and fight for his place atop the podium.
Yusuf Chothia, Shannan Davey, Callum Peters, Charlie Senior, Teremoana Teremoana, Tiana Echegaray, Tyla McDonald, Caitlin Parker, Tina Rahimi and Monique Suraci round out the Australia ream.
-With AAP
