2003 calendar 

 
 
 
 

 

 
 

 

 

 

Age (DOB):  36 (06/25/1965)

Nationality:  Australian 

 

Hometown :  
Manly,Australia

 
Playing Partner:

Natalie Cook

 

 

 

 

 

 

PLAYER PROFILE 

Kerri Pottharst
 
Sometimes fate takes us in very unexpected directions. Take Beach Volleyball Olympic gold medallist (Sydney 2000) Australian Kerri Pottharst, for example.

In 1992 Kerri, then a prominent volleyball player, wrecked her knee - an injury that put a stop to her indoor career and forced her to try her luck at "Beach". It was when she teamed up with long-term partner Natalie Cook that things really started to go very right for "Kez'. From the time they played together in China in the 1994-95 season, they have never looked back. A glance at the statistics indicates that since then, they have never been out of the top 10, and rarely out of the top six in any FIVB tournament.

Winning the Olympic gold medal before her home crowd on the fabulous Bondi Beach was something Kerri describes as "The ultimate win".
"It was one event that I always believed we could win," she says. The question is now, where to now for the best women's duo from Down Under? Last season they finished fifth in the rankings, and ahead of them were two Brazilian and two American teams. Clearly Kerri would like to unseat them.
"My ultimate career goal is to finish a season on top - to be part of the No. 1 team in the world," she says
Kerri plays tribute to coach Steve Anderson. "We could never have done it without him," she adds of the man who has fine-tuned the pair in physical, mental and tactical skills. Hard work is naturally a part of athletic success and she trains at least 12 hours a week on the sand, and up to four hours in the gym or in the pool.

As a real Aussie Beach girl, it is perhaps surprising that Kerri lists land-locked Austria as her favorite event. "It has such an awesome atmosphere and the fans are fantastic," said of the lakeside venue that this year hosts a Grand Slam event on the World Tour.

 

Asked what she most loves about her sport, Kerri replies "The sun, the sand, the fresh air. It's such an individual sport and a huge challenge after playing so many years indoors." It may have been a blow to wreck that knee back in 1992, but since then, there has been a lot of sunshine for the Australian gold medallist.

Player's Home Page: www.beachvolleyball.com.au  

Celebrating Gold in Sydney

Career Highlights - Kerri Pottharst

63 World Tour events -  

5th-2001 FIVB World Tour Ranking

1st - 2001 Macau 

2nd- 2001 Cagliari, Italy

3rd - 2001 Maoming, China

9th- 2001 World Championship, Klagenfurt, Austria

 

62 Top Ten Career finishes on World Tour

Career World Tour Prizemoney - US$324,817

 

Gold Medal Winner - 2000 Sydney Olympic Games