Herne Hill’s Arnika Nelson wins $50,000 on TV game show Tipping Point

A Geelong athlete has this week cleaned up on a national game show alongside an Australian tennis legend – and she knows where her winnings will be spent.

Herne Hill local Arnika Nelson, 21, won $50,000 on Tipping Point. She is pictured here with her dad, Scott, and host Todd Woodbridge.

A Geelong race walker will use her big win on a national TV game show to help fund her dream of competing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

Arnika Nelson from Herne Hill won $50,000 on Channel 9’s Tipping Point on Monday night.

“It still feels unreal,” the 21-year-old said.

“The shock factor has worn off a bit and it’s slowly sinking in, but it’s one of those things that you never think will actually happen.”

The former Clonard College student plans to put some of her prize money towards training and competing overseas in race walking, with the goal of taking part in the next Commonwealth Games, to be held in Glasgow.

Herne Hill local Arnika Nelson competing in Slovenia on the World Race Walking Tour. Picture: Supplied.

“I’m pretty much a fully-funded athlete now and there isn’t much funding for race walking,” she said.

“I’m not at a level to be sponsored yet, but it’s so much more than I expected to win so it’s going to help fund my future.”

Ms Nelson started race walking as a five-year-old at Little Athletics and competed in the sport at a junior level.

Her parents met while they were both professional race walkers, so the sport runs in her blood and is a major part of her family.

Ms Nelson took four years away from the sport during Covid while she studying film and television at university.

She started to compete again about 18 months ago for New Zealand, her dad Scott’s native country.

“It’s been a slow process getting back into it and finding my feet again,” she said.

“I realised I missed the sport and that I wasn’t done.

“I thought I was going to move on (from race walking) and go straight into the film industry, but I had some unfinished business and my parents were very supportive for me to give it another crack while I’m still young.”

Herne Hill local Arnika Nelson won $50,000 on Tipping Point. Picture: Supplied

Ms Nelson even got to teach host, Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge, how to race walk.

“He was actually pretty good, it’s a tricky technique to pick up but he had a good style going,” she said.

“That was good fun.”

Ms Nelson said the hardest part was being sworn to secrecy since the episode was filmed in December and not being able to share the news with her loved ones.

“It was a relief that they know now,” she said.

“We had a watch party with my aunties, uncles and cousins … they were all surprised.”

Originally published as Herne Hill’s Arnika Nelson wins $50,000 on TV game show Tipping Point