Maria Motu-Gemmell has only been home for less than three weeks but has managed to get younger sister Sally fight fit for this week's National Amateur Boxing championships at Rotorua's Event Centre, Rotorua.
The Motu sisters are ready to rumble.
"I have been waiting long enough, I just want to jump into the ring, I am ready to put my fists up," says Maria Motu-Gemmell (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa).
The current NZ gold medallist, Maria Motu-Gemmell will fight in the 57kg women's division, while younger sister Sally will take on a stacked field in the 66kg youth division.
The pair both took gold at last year's nationals in Invercargill. Sally now steps up weight classes due to a lack of registered opponents.
Sally Motu (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) says, "I have recently fought twice this year. My first international fight was in March and that was against Tiki Fraser, who is an Australian opponent…we both fought at 69kgs and I won that fight by split decision."
Maria's weight is spot on as she is set to make her seventh appearance on the national stage, while Sally has 2kgs to drop for her second Nationals appearance.
Both girls have one eye on the prize while anticipating a fight on foreign soil if their application to the New Zealand Boxing is granted, allowing both fighters the chance to compete in the Queensland Golden Gloves in September.
"We are going for gold we aren't going for anything less," says Maria Motu-Gemmell.
The sisters leave for Rotorua tonight with weigh-in this Wednesday and finals on Saturday.