1 00:00:06,707 --> 00:00:10,587 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,747 --> 00:00:14,787 Speaker 1: from News Talks, EDB, New Zealand and. 3 00:00:14,747 --> 00:00:19,867 Speaker 2: The Home Straight Land Jews one Gold. 4 00:00:23,587 --> 00:00:26,787 Speaker 1: Weekend Sport Road to Paris twenty twenty four. 5 00:00:28,547 --> 00:00:31,867 Speaker 2: What the Olympic Games now just seven weeks away? We 6 00:00:31,947 --> 00:00:34,827 Speaker 2: continue our Road to Paris feature every Sunday at a 7 00:00:34,867 --> 00:00:37,227 Speaker 2: round about this time we remember some of our great 8 00:00:37,267 --> 00:00:42,707 Speaker 2: Olympians and Olympic moments. Excuse me. Hamish Bond is one 9 00:00:42,707 --> 00:00:46,267 Speaker 2: of only two New Zealanders, along with Lisa Carrington, to 10 00:00:46,387 --> 00:00:50,547 Speaker 2: have won gold medals at three separate Olympic Games. Bond 11 00:00:50,827 --> 00:00:57,187 Speaker 2: and Murray. They are now Olympic champions, Eric Murray and 12 00:00:57,307 --> 00:00:58,227 Speaker 2: Haymak's Bond. 13 00:00:58,547 --> 00:01:02,867 Speaker 1: They've crossed first. They are the world champions. They are 14 00:01:02,947 --> 00:01:04,747 Speaker 1: now the Olympic champions. 15 00:01:05,147 --> 00:01:09,507 Speaker 2: Bond and Murray, New Zealand. They are the perfect pair. 16 00:01:09,827 --> 00:01:09,987 Speaker 3: Yeah. 17 00:01:10,027 --> 00:01:12,707 Speaker 2: Hamish Bond won back to back Olympic gold medals and 18 00:01:12,707 --> 00:01:15,627 Speaker 2: the men's pair with Eric Murray at London twenty twelve. 19 00:01:15,667 --> 00:01:17,907 Speaker 2: That was that commentary there and then again at Rio 20 00:01:18,027 --> 00:01:22,547 Speaker 2: in twenty sixteen. Then Hamish Bond became an integral member 21 00:01:22,787 --> 00:01:25,747 Speaker 2: of the men's eight who won gold at the Tokyo 22 00:01:25,867 --> 00:01:29,547 Speaker 2: Olympics in twenty twenty one. After the Rio Games, though, 23 00:01:29,587 --> 00:01:32,347 Speaker 2: he took a break from rowing and took up road cycling, 24 00:01:32,427 --> 00:01:35,467 Speaker 2: and at the twenty eighteen Commonwealth Games on the Gold 25 00:01:35,507 --> 00:01:38,507 Speaker 2: Coast he won a bronze medal in the time trial. 26 00:01:38,947 --> 00:01:41,187 Speaker 2: In twenty thirteen, he was made a member of the 27 00:01:41,227 --> 00:01:44,307 Speaker 2: New Zealand Order of Merit and last year was promoted 28 00:01:44,347 --> 00:01:48,027 Speaker 2: to Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. One 29 00:01:48,067 --> 00:01:52,387 Speaker 2: of our truly great Olympians. Hamish Bond is with us. Hamish, 30 00:01:52,387 --> 00:01:54,707 Speaker 2: thanks for taking the time. Can I start actually at 31 00:01:54,707 --> 00:01:58,707 Speaker 2: the most recent Olympics in Tokyo and winning gold in 32 00:01:58,787 --> 00:02:01,747 Speaker 2: the eight New Zealand's first gold medal in the Olympic 33 00:02:01,827 --> 00:02:05,547 Speaker 2: men's eight since nineteen seventy two. How did winning that 34 00:02:05,627 --> 00:02:08,547 Speaker 2: gold medal come pair with everything else that you've achieved 35 00:02:08,547 --> 00:02:09,187 Speaker 2: in your career? 36 00:02:11,387 --> 00:02:15,187 Speaker 3: Yeah? I think it was very special, to be honest, 37 00:02:15,707 --> 00:02:18,747 Speaker 3: A big motivation coming back to rowing from my cycling 38 00:02:18,787 --> 00:02:23,507 Speaker 3: student was getting the mendate over the line or you know, 39 00:02:23,827 --> 00:02:26,227 Speaker 3: I guess seeing what we could do. It had been 40 00:02:26,267 --> 00:02:29,067 Speaker 3: sort of a glaring omission from the success that rowing 41 00:02:30,187 --> 00:02:32,267 Speaker 3: rowing in New Zealand has had over the last sort 42 00:02:32,307 --> 00:02:35,507 Speaker 3: of twenty years, I guess, kicking off the generation with 43 00:02:35,707 --> 00:02:39,827 Speaker 3: Robert Dale, the Everswindell, Twins, Mahe Eric and myself and 44 00:02:39,907 --> 00:02:43,427 Speaker 3: numerous other successes. But the men dat is sort of 45 00:02:43,427 --> 00:02:47,027 Speaker 3: a well men's gen women of the Blue Ribbon events, 46 00:02:47,027 --> 00:02:49,867 Speaker 3: and it's something that we hadn't really even had a 47 00:02:49,867 --> 00:02:53,947 Speaker 3: shot at, I suppose previously, So that was a huge 48 00:02:54,027 --> 00:02:58,507 Speaker 3: challenge and growing up as a rower, I was of 49 00:02:59,147 --> 00:03:01,707 Speaker 3: I guess coming through the generation where a lot of 50 00:03:01,747 --> 00:03:07,067 Speaker 3: the coaches were contemporaries with guys who wrote at the 51 00:03:07,147 --> 00:03:10,267 Speaker 3: nineteen seventy two Olympics and won New Jonge's last gold medal. 52 00:03:10,347 --> 00:03:12,947 Speaker 3: So I'd always heard about, you know, the eight and 53 00:03:13,027 --> 00:03:17,987 Speaker 3: Communicaid and success of what that would be like. So 54 00:03:18,107 --> 00:03:22,387 Speaker 3: that was a huge carrot, and to actually achieve it was, 55 00:03:22,747 --> 00:03:26,707 Speaker 3: you know, certainly I think definitely a crown in It 56 00:03:26,707 --> 00:03:29,427 Speaker 3: couldn't be a more fitting I guess, crown and glory 57 00:03:29,547 --> 00:03:30,387 Speaker 3: for my career. 58 00:03:30,427 --> 00:03:33,627 Speaker 2: I suppose How different was it from rowing in the pair? 59 00:03:35,427 --> 00:03:37,867 Speaker 3: Yeah, it turned out to be quite different from a 60 00:03:37,907 --> 00:03:42,107 Speaker 3: technical sense, I suppose I went into it thinking, you know, 61 00:03:42,747 --> 00:03:45,307 Speaker 3: I know how to row, if I can just get 62 00:03:45,787 --> 00:03:48,827 Speaker 3: enough guys to sort of understand my philosophies and what 63 00:03:49,107 --> 00:03:51,827 Speaker 3: Eric and I did so well, then that can only 64 00:03:52,947 --> 00:03:57,587 Speaker 3: you know, go well. And it turned out that it 65 00:03:57,627 --> 00:04:00,747 Speaker 3: didn't actually pan out that way. I think there was 66 00:04:00,787 --> 00:04:03,987 Speaker 3: a lot of philosophy that did work well. But ultimately 67 00:04:04,147 --> 00:04:07,827 Speaker 3: the eight I think it's a lot faster moving boat 68 00:04:07,867 --> 00:04:10,747 Speaker 3: and you have to be quicker. We call it the 69 00:04:10,787 --> 00:04:13,667 Speaker 3: catch where you place the blade in the water, and 70 00:04:13,787 --> 00:04:16,587 Speaker 3: just a more aggressive, quicker style as opposed to a 71 00:04:16,627 --> 00:04:20,427 Speaker 3: more efficient lopie floating style, which I think Eric and 72 00:04:20,467 --> 00:04:23,587 Speaker 3: I rode in the pier. So I think I ended 73 00:04:23,627 --> 00:04:25,267 Speaker 3: up having to change a little bit and we all 74 00:04:25,307 --> 00:04:28,747 Speaker 3: sort of fell into a style eventually that worked for 75 00:04:28,867 --> 00:04:31,667 Speaker 3: us as a group. And I don't really know, you know, 76 00:04:31,867 --> 00:04:35,267 Speaker 3: if you had say eight Eric and I, eight of 77 00:04:35,387 --> 00:04:36,707 Speaker 3: Eric and I in the boat, could we have made 78 00:04:36,747 --> 00:04:38,947 Speaker 3: our style from the peer work, or if it was 79 00:04:39,147 --> 00:04:41,067 Speaker 3: just that wouldn't work in an eight. But we suddenly 80 00:04:41,067 --> 00:04:43,747 Speaker 3: found something in the lead up to the Olympics that 81 00:04:43,787 --> 00:04:46,227 Speaker 3: we identified as you know, this is our best chance 82 00:04:46,267 --> 00:04:48,467 Speaker 3: of winning. And it was quite different, you know, a 83 00:04:48,507 --> 00:04:51,067 Speaker 3: lot more aggressive, and also you have so many more 84 00:04:51,107 --> 00:04:54,747 Speaker 3: moving parts. You know, you've got eight people, eight opinions. 85 00:04:55,947 --> 00:04:59,147 Speaker 3: Everyone's got to be up and for it on the day, 86 00:05:00,267 --> 00:05:03,027 Speaker 3: So yeah, far more challenges. I mean, I thought Eric 87 00:05:03,107 --> 00:05:05,907 Speaker 3: was hard enough, but I probably took it for granted 88 00:05:05,987 --> 00:05:09,107 Speaker 3: to be hones in terms of you know, Eric was 89 00:05:09,147 --> 00:05:13,427 Speaker 3: particularly very very consistent. You know, he was always there, 90 00:05:13,507 --> 00:05:16,387 Speaker 3: he was always ready to train, and he was a 91 00:05:16,387 --> 00:05:19,387 Speaker 3: phenomenal trainer. And you know the guys in the eight 92 00:05:19,467 --> 00:05:21,187 Speaker 3: were as well, but they didn't have the I guess 93 00:05:21,227 --> 00:05:25,067 Speaker 3: perhaps experience at that high level for so long, and 94 00:05:25,227 --> 00:05:27,187 Speaker 3: you know, we took a little bit of time to 95 00:05:27,227 --> 00:05:31,547 Speaker 3: perhaps adjust expectations as to what was required to win 96 00:05:31,587 --> 00:05:33,867 Speaker 3: on the Olympic stage. 97 00:05:34,387 --> 00:05:37,507 Speaker 2: A wonderful achievement, as you say, to to crown your 98 00:05:37,507 --> 00:05:40,467 Speaker 2: elite career. Can we talk about your incredible success and 99 00:05:40,547 --> 00:05:44,507 Speaker 2: the men's pair unbeaten internationally from two thousand and nine 100 00:05:44,587 --> 00:05:48,427 Speaker 2: until twenty sixteen, sixty nine consecutive race wins. Actually, can 101 00:05:48,467 --> 00:05:50,547 Speaker 2: you remember the first time you met Eric Murray? 102 00:05:53,507 --> 00:05:56,587 Speaker 3: I guess I was probably more aware of him for 103 00:05:56,627 --> 00:05:58,467 Speaker 3: a while and then perhaps meet him, I would have 104 00:05:58,507 --> 00:06:00,467 Speaker 3: known who he was. Eric was a few years older 105 00:06:00,467 --> 00:06:02,587 Speaker 3: than me, so he was already in the New Zealand 106 00:06:02,667 --> 00:06:04,427 Speaker 3: elite team, and I was up and coming through the 107 00:06:04,507 --> 00:06:07,187 Speaker 3: junior under nineteen under two twenty three, so I would 108 00:06:07,227 --> 00:06:10,027 Speaker 3: have been aware of who he was and not necessarily 109 00:06:10,067 --> 00:06:13,427 Speaker 3: have met him. But I guess my first, I suppose 110 00:06:13,507 --> 00:06:18,107 Speaker 3: full time introduction was we were I was nineteen years 111 00:06:18,107 --> 00:06:20,947 Speaker 3: old and first made the senior team in two thousand 112 00:06:21,027 --> 00:06:22,947 Speaker 3: and six and was in a boat where Eric the 113 00:06:23,427 --> 00:06:25,827 Speaker 3: men's four, and that was the first time that I 114 00:06:25,867 --> 00:06:28,467 Speaker 3: came across him, And to be honest, we didn't. Well, 115 00:06:28,507 --> 00:06:30,507 Speaker 3: it's not that I probably didn't get the opportunity. He 116 00:06:30,547 --> 00:06:33,707 Speaker 3: probably I was sort of insignificant. I suppose we were 117 00:06:33,707 --> 00:06:36,387 Speaker 3: in the same boat, but I was the newbe nineteen 118 00:06:36,427 --> 00:06:38,307 Speaker 3: year olds, so it was easy to blame everything going 119 00:06:38,307 --> 00:06:41,347 Speaker 3: wrong on me. So I know Eric and I probably 120 00:06:41,387 --> 00:06:44,907 Speaker 3: didn't get off on the on the best foot. But 121 00:06:45,307 --> 00:06:48,307 Speaker 3: you know, I certainly over those years in the four, 122 00:06:49,827 --> 00:06:53,547 Speaker 3: I guess crow to appreciate his training ability, and maybe 123 00:06:53,547 --> 00:06:56,867 Speaker 3: I would say he mellowed out a little bit. And then, yeah, 124 00:06:56,947 --> 00:06:59,547 Speaker 3: we obviously teamed up after three years in the four. 125 00:07:00,547 --> 00:07:02,747 Speaker 2: And how did that come about? Had he had he 126 00:07:02,827 --> 00:07:05,427 Speaker 2: started to tolerate you pie there, actually realized you were 127 00:07:05,427 --> 00:07:07,507 Speaker 2: a pretty good roller. They added the move to the 128 00:07:07,507 --> 00:07:08,267 Speaker 2: pair come about. 129 00:07:09,347 --> 00:07:11,467 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, I don't think I took much tolerating. 130 00:07:12,027 --> 00:07:13,587 Speaker 3: I think it was much more the other way around. 131 00:07:13,627 --> 00:07:15,827 Speaker 3: But as a nineteen year old versus one hundred and 132 00:07:15,867 --> 00:07:18,947 Speaker 3: five kilo twenty two twenty three year old, you know 133 00:07:19,107 --> 00:07:21,467 Speaker 3: I wasn't I was a fly. You know, he could 134 00:07:21,467 --> 00:07:26,107 Speaker 3: have just swadded me away. So I think over those 135 00:07:26,107 --> 00:07:28,707 Speaker 3: three years in the four A obviously and Derek's respect, 136 00:07:28,747 --> 00:07:30,987 Speaker 3: and you know, if you beat him a few times, 137 00:07:31,867 --> 00:07:34,227 Speaker 3: you can't help but take notice, either on the water 138 00:07:34,387 --> 00:07:35,987 Speaker 3: or on the rhyme machine. That's where a lot of 139 00:07:36,547 --> 00:07:39,707 Speaker 3: direct comparisons get made. And you know, you take him 140 00:07:39,707 --> 00:07:41,347 Speaker 3: down a couple of times on the row machine, you 141 00:07:41,347 --> 00:07:44,587 Speaker 3: can't help but take notice. In terms of how we 142 00:07:44,787 --> 00:07:48,187 Speaker 3: joined up as a combination, we were world champions in 143 00:07:48,227 --> 00:07:51,027 Speaker 3: the four and two thousand and seven and then went 144 00:07:51,027 --> 00:07:53,147 Speaker 3: into the Olympic Games with high hopes of the medal 145 00:07:53,187 --> 00:07:56,627 Speaker 3: but didn't pan out. And I suppose one of those 146 00:07:56,627 --> 00:07:59,387 Speaker 3: things you look back on, although very disappointing at the time, 147 00:07:59,427 --> 00:08:05,267 Speaker 3: perhaps that was, you know, integral to our success in 148 00:08:05,347 --> 00:08:08,787 Speaker 3: the subsequent years was having I guess that failure and 149 00:08:09,187 --> 00:08:11,427 Speaker 3: been able to rise from the ashes ashes as it 150 00:08:11,507 --> 00:08:15,787 Speaker 3: were so out of before. You know, everyone sort of 151 00:08:15,827 --> 00:08:17,587 Speaker 3: had a bit of a break, and I think two 152 00:08:17,627 --> 00:08:20,267 Speaker 3: of the guys had decided on sort of twelve month 153 00:08:20,387 --> 00:08:25,147 Speaker 3: long breaks. But Eric and I had trained together in 154 00:08:25,187 --> 00:08:28,067 Speaker 3: the Pier Wilson before and had always gone well, and 155 00:08:28,427 --> 00:08:30,427 Speaker 3: more or less I looked around the squad and made 156 00:08:30,467 --> 00:08:32,707 Speaker 3: an assessment, you know what boat class should I target? 157 00:08:32,747 --> 00:08:37,107 Speaker 3: What's my best chance of success? And decided that, you know, 158 00:08:37,467 --> 00:08:41,627 Speaker 3: Eric and I were somewhat of a proven quantity, and yeah, 159 00:08:41,227 --> 00:08:43,587 Speaker 3: I pretty much wrote him an email or wrote his 160 00:08:43,667 --> 00:08:45,947 Speaker 3: wife and at the time an email and said, you know, 161 00:08:46,067 --> 00:08:49,987 Speaker 3: can let's have a shot at this, And yeah, she 162 00:08:50,027 --> 00:08:52,347 Speaker 3: gave us a two year pass at that point. 163 00:08:52,467 --> 00:08:56,467 Speaker 2: With a few a few years to reflect. What were 164 00:08:56,507 --> 00:09:01,307 Speaker 2: the key ingredients for that incredible consistency that sustained success 165 00:09:01,427 --> 00:09:03,787 Speaker 2: over so many years, so many regattas. 166 00:09:05,387 --> 00:09:08,507 Speaker 3: Yeah, there's lots of things that have that made up 167 00:09:09,027 --> 00:09:12,587 Speaker 3: I guess the unbeaten streak. There's certainly an element of luck, 168 00:09:12,627 --> 00:09:15,307 Speaker 3: you know, those we sort of had. I certainly had 169 00:09:15,307 --> 00:09:17,987 Speaker 3: my fair share of injuries over that period, but nothing 170 00:09:18,027 --> 00:09:23,187 Speaker 3: that sort of struck at a really detrimental time. I think, 171 00:09:23,267 --> 00:09:25,667 Speaker 3: first and foremost, the biggest key to our success was 172 00:09:25,707 --> 00:09:28,867 Speaker 3: that I would in my opinion, Eric and I were 173 00:09:28,907 --> 00:09:34,907 Speaker 3: probably two of the top five physical just physical specimens 174 00:09:34,947 --> 00:09:39,147 Speaker 3: or attributes capabilities in world rowing. So obviously you have 175 00:09:39,667 --> 00:09:43,347 Speaker 3: a number of boat classes, but of all the rowers internationally, 176 00:09:43,347 --> 00:09:45,387 Speaker 3: I would say Eric and I weld two have probably 177 00:09:45,427 --> 00:09:48,947 Speaker 3: the top five. And when you take that talent and 178 00:09:49,027 --> 00:09:51,027 Speaker 3: you've just happened to be in the same country at 179 00:09:51,027 --> 00:09:56,067 Speaker 3: the same time, it's I felt as that we wrote 180 00:09:56,107 --> 00:10:00,147 Speaker 3: technically relatively well, but I think at a large part 181 00:10:00,147 --> 00:10:03,147 Speaker 3: of it that we were physically superior to any of 182 00:10:03,187 --> 00:10:05,987 Speaker 3: our opposition that we ever came up against. They don't 183 00:10:06,507 --> 00:10:09,147 Speaker 3: if you look at two kilometer rowing schools, I'm not 184 00:10:09,267 --> 00:10:12,867 Speaker 3: aware of any of our competitors ever going faster than 185 00:10:13,107 --> 00:10:16,107 Speaker 3: one of us were to learn both of us. So 186 00:10:16,827 --> 00:10:18,507 Speaker 3: you know, when you had that together, we just had 187 00:10:18,507 --> 00:10:22,507 Speaker 3: to sort of row half well. And I suppose you 188 00:10:22,587 --> 00:10:25,907 Speaker 3: tending that up. We weren't that physical. You know, we 189 00:10:25,947 --> 00:10:29,227 Speaker 3: didn't have those capabilities aren't God given, you know, that's 190 00:10:29,307 --> 00:10:32,427 Speaker 3: the nature of rowing. You have to earn those stripes 191 00:10:32,507 --> 00:10:36,627 Speaker 3: through sheer, hard training. The talent has just been able 192 00:10:36,667 --> 00:10:41,387 Speaker 3: to turn up day after day, and yeah, we got 193 00:10:41,467 --> 00:10:44,107 Speaker 3: to a point I suppose. Yeah, we were very mentally strong. 194 00:10:44,147 --> 00:10:47,587 Speaker 3: We had strong belief in our abilities. We've proven it 195 00:10:47,627 --> 00:10:51,067 Speaker 3: to ourselves. We had two different coaches over that period 196 00:10:51,107 --> 00:10:54,947 Speaker 3: and both of those students were probably you know, the 197 00:10:55,027 --> 00:10:57,827 Speaker 3: right people at the right time. Dick Tonks for the 198 00:10:57,827 --> 00:11:00,787 Speaker 3: first four years was a very hard taskmaster and I 199 00:11:00,827 --> 00:11:03,347 Speaker 3: wouldn't say I enjoyed a lot of it, but it 200 00:11:03,467 --> 00:11:06,907 Speaker 3: was the foundation of us as athletes. And then the 201 00:11:06,907 --> 00:11:09,547 Speaker 3: subsequent four years with Noel Donaldson who came over from 202 00:11:09,547 --> 00:11:12,547 Speaker 3: Australia to coach us. You know, he was more of 203 00:11:12,587 --> 00:11:15,347 Speaker 3: a He coached us, but it was also sort of 204 00:11:15,387 --> 00:11:17,507 Speaker 3: man management as well, making sure we didn't get too 205 00:11:17,507 --> 00:11:21,867 Speaker 3: full of our boots and you know, he kept us, 206 00:11:21,867 --> 00:11:25,667 Speaker 3: I guess grounded and kept moving forward and ultimately just 207 00:11:25,787 --> 00:11:28,747 Speaker 3: our own personal drive to be the best in the 208 00:11:28,747 --> 00:11:31,507 Speaker 3: world and not be complacent. I think that was We're 209 00:11:31,627 --> 00:11:36,147 Speaker 3: hugely competitive as much against each other, know, we were 210 00:11:36,147 --> 00:11:39,027 Speaker 3: competitive against each other and against all the other members 211 00:11:39,027 --> 00:11:42,427 Speaker 3: in the New Zealand squad, and then that manifested itself internationally. 212 00:11:43,027 --> 00:11:45,227 Speaker 2: Did the two of you ever disagree on things? 213 00:11:46,667 --> 00:11:50,627 Speaker 3: Certainly, Yeah, no we did, but know you often asked 214 00:11:50,747 --> 00:11:55,147 Speaker 3: us to speak at I guess business or talk to 215 00:11:55,907 --> 00:11:58,187 Speaker 3: business people and that sort of thing. And I often 216 00:11:58,387 --> 00:12:01,347 Speaker 3: suggest that the best conflict resolution scheme is to never lose. 217 00:12:02,267 --> 00:12:06,867 Speaker 3: So that's certainly my takeaway is that perhaps we didn't 218 00:12:06,867 --> 00:12:10,147 Speaker 3: have to ask ourselves really hard questions because we never 219 00:12:10,227 --> 00:12:14,627 Speaker 3: did lose. But we definitely had disagreements. But I suppose 220 00:12:15,547 --> 00:12:19,667 Speaker 3: you always understood that usually whatever either of us was 221 00:12:19,707 --> 00:12:22,067 Speaker 3: putting forward was just what we believed would make the 222 00:12:22,067 --> 00:12:24,747 Speaker 3: boat go fastest. And you know, when it's coming from 223 00:12:24,747 --> 00:12:28,307 Speaker 3: the right place, you know there's you know, you can 224 00:12:28,347 --> 00:12:30,227 Speaker 3: sort of move forward or off that. And we did 225 00:12:30,387 --> 00:12:34,187 Speaker 3: entertain each other's suggestions, and I think we were sort 226 00:12:34,227 --> 00:12:36,747 Speaker 3: of quite young and yang and to be honest, Eric 227 00:12:36,907 --> 00:12:39,507 Speaker 3: is very I don't know what the word is forgiving. 228 00:12:39,587 --> 00:12:42,747 Speaker 3: You know, nothing really phases us in too much. I 229 00:12:42,867 --> 00:12:45,627 Speaker 3: could have clipped them around the air or not what 230 00:12:45,787 --> 00:12:49,027 Speaker 3: ever would But and we always left it on the water, 231 00:12:49,067 --> 00:12:53,627 Speaker 3: you know, like we didn't really we never really dwelled 232 00:12:53,627 --> 00:12:56,707 Speaker 3: on things too long, I suppose, and just moved on. 233 00:12:57,707 --> 00:13:00,147 Speaker 2: Was twenty sixteen always going to be it for the 234 00:13:00,147 --> 00:13:02,227 Speaker 2: two of you as a combo? Was that the natural 235 00:13:02,267 --> 00:13:04,387 Speaker 2: finishing point for the two of you and the pair. 236 00:13:05,227 --> 00:13:07,467 Speaker 3: I think it was a natural finishing point. I don't 237 00:13:07,467 --> 00:13:09,627 Speaker 3: think we spoke about it in the lead up that 238 00:13:09,667 --> 00:13:11,027 Speaker 3: you know this is going to be it. We sort 239 00:13:11,067 --> 00:13:12,827 Speaker 3: of left that open. You didn't want to add that 240 00:13:12,947 --> 00:13:17,467 Speaker 3: extra pressure to it, I suppose, but I think I 241 00:13:17,467 --> 00:13:18,907 Speaker 3: don't know if the writing was on the wall. But 242 00:13:18,947 --> 00:13:22,107 Speaker 3: mentally I was with my move to cycling, you know, 243 00:13:22,267 --> 00:13:26,107 Speaker 3: mentally I was ready for a break. I suppose we 244 00:13:26,147 --> 00:13:28,787 Speaker 3: had that build up to the London getting the first 245 00:13:28,827 --> 00:13:31,507 Speaker 3: gold and then Rio sort of felt like, you know, 246 00:13:31,627 --> 00:13:33,627 Speaker 3: proving it wasn't a fluke, and we still had enough 247 00:13:33,707 --> 00:13:38,587 Speaker 3: juice to tackle that four years. But I think it 248 00:13:38,587 --> 00:13:40,827 Speaker 3: would have been a tall ask to go another four 249 00:13:40,907 --> 00:13:44,147 Speaker 3: years in the same combination. And it's not that we 250 00:13:44,147 --> 00:13:47,027 Speaker 3: weren't getting on, but I think the word compromises starting 251 00:13:47,027 --> 00:13:51,707 Speaker 3: to creep into training, and to me, don't I don't 252 00:13:51,827 --> 00:13:53,707 Speaker 3: like to be there if I'm not at my best 253 00:13:53,787 --> 00:13:56,587 Speaker 3: or we're not at our best as a combination, and 254 00:13:57,107 --> 00:13:59,187 Speaker 3: it was sort of felt like we were adding straws 255 00:13:59,227 --> 00:14:01,467 Speaker 3: to a camel's back, and you know, we weren't quite 256 00:14:01,507 --> 00:14:03,267 Speaker 3: sure which compromise it was going to be there. The 257 00:14:03,267 --> 00:14:06,307 Speaker 3: one that was too much, and then we were into 258 00:14:06,427 --> 00:14:09,227 Speaker 3: our best and we did get tipped over. So I 259 00:14:09,267 --> 00:14:14,147 Speaker 3: suddenly felt the pressure of you know, eight years, I guess, 260 00:14:14,747 --> 00:14:18,987 Speaker 3: and that was in the lead up to where other 261 00:14:19,027 --> 00:14:21,987 Speaker 3: competitors it was just another race for them, But for me, 262 00:14:22,227 --> 00:14:23,987 Speaker 3: I was certainly aware that we sort of had eight 263 00:14:24,067 --> 00:14:25,947 Speaker 3: years riding on every single race. You know, it could 264 00:14:25,987 --> 00:14:29,627 Speaker 3: be relatively insignificant race in the back blocks of Poland 265 00:14:29,707 --> 00:14:32,107 Speaker 3: or something, but we had eight years riding on there, 266 00:14:32,187 --> 00:14:35,507 Speaker 3: and it wouldn't have necessarily well it would have, it 267 00:14:35,547 --> 00:14:38,507 Speaker 3: wouldn't have been the same if we had lost ultimately, 268 00:14:38,667 --> 00:14:41,587 Speaker 3: So you know, I was aware of that, and yeah, 269 00:14:41,667 --> 00:14:43,827 Speaker 3: mentally probably ready for a break. And Eric, I think, 270 00:14:43,867 --> 00:14:46,387 Speaker 3: with his family and everything, he was making quite a 271 00:14:46,387 --> 00:14:51,707 Speaker 3: few sacrifices. You know, his son has autism, and he 272 00:14:51,947 --> 00:14:55,507 Speaker 3: wanted to be more offer, be more available I suppose 273 00:14:55,627 --> 00:14:59,627 Speaker 3: to support him through that. So yeah, I think it 274 00:14:59,747 --> 00:15:01,707 Speaker 3: was in some ways a natural finishing point. 275 00:15:02,787 --> 00:15:04,507 Speaker 2: Eric Murray once said to me that he'd never met 276 00:15:04,547 --> 00:15:08,467 Speaker 2: anybody who was able to endure as much severe discomfort 277 00:15:08,547 --> 00:15:12,067 Speaker 2: all the way up to excruciating pain as you could. 278 00:15:12,827 --> 00:15:13,867 Speaker 2: What was it the heart of that? 279 00:15:16,107 --> 00:15:18,107 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean I think, to be honest, Eric can 280 00:15:18,227 --> 00:15:21,907 Speaker 3: do that fairly well himself, and I guess that was 281 00:15:21,987 --> 00:15:24,987 Speaker 3: part of the key. But yeah, I think it's practice. 282 00:15:25,027 --> 00:15:28,107 Speaker 3: You know, you go, you go to those tough places 283 00:15:29,147 --> 00:15:33,107 Speaker 3: often enough in training and it becomes slightly less daunting, 284 00:15:33,147 --> 00:15:37,347 Speaker 3: and you know you're suffering, you're you're on another person's ten, 285 00:15:37,467 --> 00:15:39,347 Speaker 3: but for you it's only in a seven, you know, 286 00:15:39,427 --> 00:15:42,467 Speaker 3: and you realize that you can live there. For ye know, 287 00:15:42,707 --> 00:15:45,507 Speaker 3: I can say I'm struggling, but I know, like I 288 00:15:45,507 --> 00:15:47,667 Speaker 3: can handle this another five minutes, or I can handle 289 00:15:47,667 --> 00:15:50,707 Speaker 3: another two minutes, and you just and more often you 290 00:15:51,627 --> 00:15:54,107 Speaker 3: go to the I guess the dark places. You become 291 00:15:54,147 --> 00:15:58,507 Speaker 3: more comfortable being uncomfortable. But yeah, it's never easy, and 292 00:15:58,627 --> 00:16:02,427 Speaker 3: you know, you come up with different strategies around. No, 293 00:16:02,547 --> 00:16:04,587 Speaker 3: I can't think I'm pretty hard on myself, to be honest, 294 00:16:04,587 --> 00:16:08,427 Speaker 3: when you reflect back lot of I've given myself a 295 00:16:08,427 --> 00:16:12,627 Speaker 3: few mental telling offs, and I call myself various names 296 00:16:12,627 --> 00:16:16,707 Speaker 3: in my head when I think about not necessarily giving up. 297 00:16:16,827 --> 00:16:21,227 Speaker 3: But yeah, like I did. I used to thrive off 298 00:16:21,867 --> 00:16:25,307 Speaker 3: knowing that I could and did do things that other 299 00:16:25,347 --> 00:16:32,147 Speaker 3: people wouldn't, and training in particularly the that I would 300 00:16:32,227 --> 00:16:35,067 Speaker 3: go Yeah, I did thrive off that. Yeah, I would 301 00:16:35,067 --> 00:16:37,787 Speaker 3: tell myself, you know that no one else is doing this, 302 00:16:37,907 --> 00:16:41,387 Speaker 3: you know, I things like that, and yeah, I think 303 00:16:41,387 --> 00:16:46,547 Speaker 3: it just accumulated over time, pretty stubborn. And yeah, I 304 00:16:46,587 --> 00:16:49,947 Speaker 3: think ultimately it started. I got allowed of self worth 305 00:16:49,987 --> 00:16:52,707 Speaker 3: out of being good at rowing, and you know that's 306 00:16:52,707 --> 00:16:55,227 Speaker 3: a fairly big motivator, Haim. 307 00:16:55,267 --> 00:16:57,267 Speaker 2: It's just been such a pleasure catching up with you 308 00:16:57,307 --> 00:17:00,067 Speaker 2: and wandering about memory laying, getting an insight into the 309 00:17:00,107 --> 00:17:03,307 Speaker 2: reasons behind your incredible success both in the pair and 310 00:17:03,347 --> 00:17:04,787 Speaker 2: in the eight as well. And now you've got the 311 00:17:05,227 --> 00:17:07,587 Speaker 2: America's cap to look for two now as a cyclaw 312 00:17:07,987 --> 00:17:12,307 Speaker 2: for Team New Zealand, so that'll get the competitive juices 313 00:17:12,347 --> 00:17:14,227 Speaker 2: flying once again, I'm sure. But thank you for joining 314 00:17:14,267 --> 00:17:16,747 Speaker 2: us this afternoon to be part of our Road to 315 00:17:16,787 --> 00:17:20,067 Speaker 2: Paris feature. That is Hamish Bond, one of just two 316 00:17:20,067 --> 00:17:22,907 Speaker 2: New Zealanders, along with Dame Lisa Carrington, two have won 317 00:17:22,947 --> 00:17:25,627 Speaker 2: gold medals at three separate Olympic game. 318 00:17:26,227 --> 00:17:29,387 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 319 00:17:29,507 --> 00:17:32,787 Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow 320 00:17:32,827 --> 00:17:34,427 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.