Life After Gold: Nico Porteous on Identity, Anxiety, and What’s Next

Nico Porteous was 16 years old when he won a bronze medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

That was just the beginning of his rising star.

He was named Sportsman of the Year award at the 2022 Halberg awards on the back of his incredible Olympic gold medal in the halfpipe at the Beijing 2022 Winter Games.

Now at the age of 23, he has retired.

In this raw and revealing conversation, Nico opens up about what it really takes to get to the top- not just the training and pressure, but also the personal sacrifices, mental health battles, and the toll on his body and mind.

We discuss the bittersweet decision to step away from competitive skiing, the impact of injury, and what it means to retire on his own terms.

This is a story about growth, gratitude, and self-discovery, from the top of the podium to the start of a whole new chapter.

I first met Nico at the very start of his career, so it was really cool to connect with him at the very end. And it was even cooler to see he hadn’t rally changed- he is still impeccably polite and well-mannered and totally ego-free. Nico is a proud New Zealander who has made me proud to be a New Zealander, so this was a huge honour.

Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

Generate is an award-winning KiwiSaver provider with a track record of delivering strong long-term returns for their clients- you can see their latest returns for yourself on their website.

I became a client when they came on board as the show sponsor and it’s been a gamechanger for me personally- I’m kicking myself for not doing it years earlier.

You can book a no obligation chat with one of their awesome KiwiSaver advisers at generatekiwisaver.co.nz/dom

The issuer of the scheme is Generate Investment Management Limited. To see their Product disclosure statement see generatekiwisaver.co.nz/pds

Past performance does not guarantee future returns.

And just a reminder — I’m a podcast host, not a financial adviser, so this is just general advice. I recommend getting expert advice before making any financial decisions.

CHAPTERS 0:00 Who is Nico Porteous? 8:00 Retirement decision 24:00 Sacrifices from his parents 32:00 Going pro and homeschooling 44:00 The challenges of the past year 52:00 2018 Winter Olympics 1:02:30 2022 Winter Olympics 1:16:00 Creating and perfecting the 1620 1:24:20 The rush and nerves at The Olympics 1:44:50 The lead up to retirement 1:51:40 Mental health and social media 2:05:30 Looking towards the future