1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from News Talk ZEDB. 3 00:00:12,707 --> 00:00:16,067 Speaker 2: Pas Nan Canoe Sprint and Power Canoe World Cup comes 4 00:00:16,147 --> 00:00:19,507 Speaker 2: up in the weak ahead. Competing in his first ever 5 00:00:19,627 --> 00:00:22,667 Speaker 2: power World Cup event will be key we Finn Murphy, 6 00:00:22,827 --> 00:00:26,227 Speaker 2: a former national rowing champion who lost his leg in 7 00:00:26,267 --> 00:00:30,067 Speaker 2: a motorcycle accident in twenty twenty one. Finn Murphy as 8 00:00:30,107 --> 00:00:32,107 Speaker 2: with us, great to get the chance to chat to 9 00:00:32,107 --> 00:00:34,587 Speaker 2: your Finn. How the excitement levels as you look forward 10 00:00:34,627 --> 00:00:37,587 Speaker 2: to your debut World Cup event? A? 11 00:00:37,947 --> 00:00:38,787 Speaker 3: Yeah, they're pretty high. 12 00:00:38,787 --> 00:00:43,747 Speaker 4: A it's I'm currently in Hungary for the Canoe World Cup, 13 00:00:43,787 --> 00:00:46,547 Speaker 4: which doesn't have a power event, but being here watching 14 00:00:46,547 --> 00:00:50,067 Speaker 4: the the averybody athletes compete and that's gemmie up pretty hard. 15 00:00:50,067 --> 00:00:53,027 Speaker 2: So so yeah, how has your build up been? Tell 16 00:00:53,067 --> 00:00:54,867 Speaker 2: us about the last little while as you as you 17 00:00:54,907 --> 00:00:56,147 Speaker 2: build towards Posnan. 18 00:00:57,147 --> 00:01:00,267 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, it all happened pretty pretty quick, to be honest. 19 00:01:00,427 --> 00:01:02,747 Speaker 4: I hadn't really expected to be over here this year. 20 00:01:03,467 --> 00:01:05,627 Speaker 4: Was expecting to sort of have maybe another year of 21 00:01:05,667 --> 00:01:08,267 Speaker 4: paddling on my before before I came over, but managed 22 00:01:08,267 --> 00:01:11,507 Speaker 4: to do a really quick time before Christmas that sort 23 00:01:11,547 --> 00:01:13,307 Speaker 4: of put me on the radar a bit, and and 24 00:01:14,467 --> 00:01:18,947 Speaker 4: it's so I won the pair of inter nationals and 25 00:01:18,947 --> 00:01:21,507 Speaker 4: and here I am so. 26 00:01:20,747 --> 00:01:23,347 Speaker 2: So which discipline are you competing? And then how strong 27 00:01:23,427 --> 00:01:24,907 Speaker 2: is the field with. 28 00:01:24,587 --> 00:01:27,027 Speaker 4: With the pair of event, there's there's three events. There's 29 00:01:27,067 --> 00:01:30,027 Speaker 4: KAL one through the KL three, with KL three being 30 00:01:30,067 --> 00:01:32,147 Speaker 4: the lowest level of impairment. 31 00:01:32,627 --> 00:01:34,067 Speaker 3: So I'm in the KL three events. 32 00:01:35,067 --> 00:01:36,987 Speaker 4: I've just got to blow in the apputection, which which 33 00:01:37,027 --> 00:01:42,747 Speaker 4: is pretty ideal in terms of impairment levels. I'm actually 34 00:01:42,787 --> 00:01:45,067 Speaker 4: not too sure what the what the quality of the 35 00:01:45,067 --> 00:01:46,907 Speaker 4: competition is going to be like over here this year, 36 00:01:46,947 --> 00:01:50,507 Speaker 4: because it's just stuff during an Olympic, Olympic and Paralympic cycles. 37 00:01:50,507 --> 00:01:53,547 Speaker 4: So a lot of a lot of the really competitive 38 00:01:53,547 --> 00:01:56,667 Speaker 4: athletes have taken six months off post Olympics. If their 39 00:01:56,747 --> 00:01:59,227 Speaker 4: southern hems for athletes, they probably haven't made their way 40 00:01:59,267 --> 00:02:01,707 Speaker 4: over to Poznan. And likewise, if they're from the sort 41 00:02:01,707 --> 00:02:04,187 Speaker 4: of half one corners of Europe, they might not be 42 00:02:04,227 --> 00:02:07,747 Speaker 4: over here. But based on based on the able body athletes, 43 00:02:07,947 --> 00:02:11,347 Speaker 4: there's a pretty strong contingency of countries that have come over. 44 00:02:11,427 --> 00:02:13,547 Speaker 4: So so yeah, it'd be interesting to see see you 45 00:02:13,547 --> 00:02:15,147 Speaker 4: next week and what the dealers. 46 00:02:15,187 --> 00:02:16,707 Speaker 3: But I'm excited. 47 00:02:16,347 --> 00:02:18,547 Speaker 2: Anyway, absolutely, and so you should be. How long has 48 00:02:18,547 --> 00:02:19,947 Speaker 2: this been a goal for you? 49 00:02:20,307 --> 00:02:23,027 Speaker 4: I mean even before I opted for the amputation, it 50 00:02:23,067 --> 00:02:25,387 Speaker 4: was in the back of my mind. I didn't lose 51 00:02:25,387 --> 00:02:27,907 Speaker 4: my leg immediately after my motor accident, so I had 52 00:02:27,907 --> 00:02:29,667 Speaker 4: a bit of time to sort of think about it, 53 00:02:29,667 --> 00:02:32,307 Speaker 4: and prior to making the decision to amputate I I 54 00:02:32,347 --> 00:02:35,427 Speaker 4: was definitely like, well, if I do, then that opens 55 00:02:35,467 --> 00:02:38,827 Speaker 4: up the opportunity to pursue Olympic goal or something along 56 00:02:38,827 --> 00:02:41,667 Speaker 4: those lines. So, yeah, it's been in the back of 57 00:02:41,667 --> 00:02:44,507 Speaker 4: my mind for sort of at least three and a 58 00:02:44,547 --> 00:02:45,267 Speaker 4: half four years. 59 00:02:45,307 --> 00:02:45,627 Speaker 3: Now. 60 00:02:46,307 --> 00:02:49,787 Speaker 2: Tell us about the accident and then the subsequent decision 61 00:02:49,907 --> 00:02:53,027 Speaker 2: to opt for the amputation that you did. 62 00:02:53,827 --> 00:02:57,227 Speaker 4: Yeah, so it was I think it was October sixteenth, 63 00:02:57,227 --> 00:03:00,427 Speaker 4: twenty twenty one. I was on my way to get 64 00:03:00,427 --> 00:03:03,667 Speaker 4: my second dose to the COVID vaccine, so helped them. 65 00:03:03,707 --> 00:03:07,467 Speaker 4: A motorbike was getting into to my local GP and 66 00:03:07,827 --> 00:03:09,307 Speaker 4: I'm the way there, about four hundred meters down the 67 00:03:09,387 --> 00:03:11,627 Speaker 4: river of my house. A band turned in front of 68 00:03:11,667 --> 00:03:14,107 Speaker 4: me going into a petrol station. My front tire and 69 00:03:14,147 --> 00:03:16,387 Speaker 4: my motorbike didn't have enough air in it. So when 70 00:03:16,387 --> 00:03:18,387 Speaker 4: I applied the brakes slipped me off and I went 71 00:03:18,427 --> 00:03:20,467 Speaker 4: feet first into the side of this van pretty much 72 00:03:20,467 --> 00:03:23,667 Speaker 4: shattered my ankle a million pieces compound. 73 00:03:23,347 --> 00:03:24,067 Speaker 3: Presture of my tip. 74 00:03:24,107 --> 00:03:27,027 Speaker 4: For yeah, the leg was really the worst, but I 75 00:03:27,067 --> 00:03:28,427 Speaker 4: had I had a bunch of injuries like a brain 76 00:03:28,547 --> 00:03:32,587 Speaker 4: lead and spinal fractures, So in terms of how life 77 00:03:32,587 --> 00:03:34,307 Speaker 4: threatening it was, I had other things going on at 78 00:03:34,347 --> 00:03:36,867 Speaker 4: the time, didn't really worry too much about the ankle. 79 00:03:37,067 --> 00:03:39,427 Speaker 4: But yeah, after about a year of trying to rehab that, 80 00:03:39,667 --> 00:03:43,147 Speaker 4: I had some complications. I managed to break all the 81 00:03:43,187 --> 00:03:45,427 Speaker 4: metal fixings and that they put into my ankle, so 82 00:03:45,507 --> 00:03:46,547 Speaker 4: I was going to have to have some sort of 83 00:03:46,547 --> 00:03:49,667 Speaker 4: original surgery rather than spend another year going to rehab it. 84 00:03:49,747 --> 00:03:51,867 Speaker 4: I figured if I get rid of it, then I'd 85 00:03:51,867 --> 00:03:53,587 Speaker 4: start fresh with an ankle I can't feel. 86 00:03:53,627 --> 00:03:54,787 Speaker 3: So soon I went with. 87 00:03:57,147 --> 00:03:59,427 Speaker 2: I know you've probably told the story a lot of times, 88 00:03:59,427 --> 00:04:01,587 Speaker 2: but you know it all seems so offhand. Ill, I'll 89 00:04:01,667 --> 00:04:03,307 Speaker 2: just get rid of it. I'll just get rid of 90 00:04:03,387 --> 00:04:07,147 Speaker 2: my leg below below the knee. But you know, how 91 00:04:07,147 --> 00:04:08,507 Speaker 2: did you come to that decision? 92 00:04:09,507 --> 00:04:12,147 Speaker 4: So in in that year that i'd sort of I'd 93 00:04:12,187 --> 00:04:16,307 Speaker 4: had some in the amputation. I'd been walking with pretty 94 00:04:16,347 --> 00:04:20,867 Speaker 4: severe arthritis and my limb was about and shorter than 95 00:04:20,907 --> 00:04:22,907 Speaker 4: it had been before the accident, so I had a 96 00:04:22,907 --> 00:04:23,747 Speaker 4: bit of a hobble. 97 00:04:23,507 --> 00:04:24,867 Speaker 3: Going on those things. 98 00:04:24,907 --> 00:04:29,187 Speaker 4: Factoring in the pain element and permanence of it, amputations 99 00:04:29,587 --> 00:04:31,987 Speaker 4: a pretty good option as opposed to having arthritis for 100 00:04:32,027 --> 00:04:33,507 Speaker 4: the rest of my life. And it also meant that 101 00:04:33,587 --> 00:04:35,347 Speaker 4: if I if I did amputate, I could get my 102 00:04:35,427 --> 00:04:37,627 Speaker 4: legs be the same link because the other as my 103 00:04:37,627 --> 00:04:40,227 Speaker 4: good leg and that way I wouldn't get authrighters my 104 00:04:40,307 --> 00:04:42,627 Speaker 4: knee or my hip later. Well, I could at least 105 00:04:42,747 --> 00:04:46,027 Speaker 4: delay the progression of that potentially. So yeah, that's that's 106 00:04:46,067 --> 00:04:47,467 Speaker 4: how I sort of arrived at the decision. 107 00:04:47,947 --> 00:04:49,947 Speaker 2: And how did you find your way to power canoeing? 108 00:04:50,467 --> 00:04:54,707 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, I'd always been interested in the water. I 109 00:04:55,347 --> 00:04:57,307 Speaker 4: Like I said, I did sort of six seasons of 110 00:04:57,347 --> 00:05:01,387 Speaker 4: club rowing and then swapped to the surfboats. So after 111 00:05:01,427 --> 00:05:03,907 Speaker 4: that I was sort of looking for something water based, 112 00:05:03,947 --> 00:05:06,587 Speaker 4: and kayaking the natural option. I thought they big a 113 00:05:06,587 --> 00:05:10,067 Speaker 4: bit of crossover between the two, between two sports. 114 00:05:10,387 --> 00:05:11,307 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a good decision. 115 00:05:11,347 --> 00:05:15,227 Speaker 4: I'm loving, loving at the moment, and I think two 116 00:05:15,267 --> 00:05:17,787 Speaker 4: hundred meter distance is a there's a lot better distance 117 00:05:17,787 --> 00:05:19,547 Speaker 4: for me than the two thousand meters distance in rowing. 118 00:05:19,587 --> 00:05:25,147 Speaker 2: So how long did it take you to, uh, to 119 00:05:25,827 --> 00:05:27,627 Speaker 2: get used to being in the boat? Did you fall 120 00:05:27,667 --> 00:05:28,107 Speaker 2: out much? 121 00:05:28,427 --> 00:05:28,667 Speaker 3: Yeah? 122 00:05:28,787 --> 00:05:32,107 Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah, I was in the water every session pretty 123 00:05:32,187 --> 00:05:35,067 Speaker 4: much for the first six months. I'd bet my coach 124 00:05:35,067 --> 00:05:38,147 Speaker 4: made by a wetsuit because because I couldn't train, couldn't 125 00:05:38,147 --> 00:05:40,187 Speaker 4: train into the winter without going in the water. So 126 00:05:40,187 --> 00:05:41,707 Speaker 4: it took me. Definitely took me a while to get 127 00:05:41,707 --> 00:05:44,267 Speaker 4: the hang of the balance. Whereas in a robot it's 128 00:05:44,307 --> 00:05:47,107 Speaker 4: it's pretty intuitive. With a kayak, it's it's a real 129 00:05:47,107 --> 00:05:48,467 Speaker 4: skill that you have to sort of work on. It 130 00:05:48,547 --> 00:05:50,867 Speaker 4: something that even the sort of elites continue to work 131 00:05:50,867 --> 00:05:54,467 Speaker 4: on well into their careers. So it took a bit. 132 00:05:54,467 --> 00:05:57,307 Speaker 2: Again used to well, you've obviously mastered up mate, ahead 133 00:05:57,347 --> 00:05:58,907 Speaker 2: of your first World Cup event. What about if we 134 00:05:58,947 --> 00:06:02,867 Speaker 2: look forward for other Paralympics in Los Angeles and twenty 135 00:06:02,907 --> 00:06:03,747 Speaker 2: twenty eight on your. 136 00:06:03,707 --> 00:06:06,987 Speaker 3: Radar, Yeah, that's that's that's the one for sure. 137 00:06:07,467 --> 00:06:10,467 Speaker 4: So yeah, everything everything from now until then will be 138 00:06:10,467 --> 00:06:12,987 Speaker 4: will be aiming for that ultimate goal of making it 139 00:06:13,027 --> 00:06:16,067 Speaker 4: to the to the twenty twenty eight Paralympics. But in 140 00:06:16,147 --> 00:06:18,347 Speaker 4: the meantime, I've got a couple of couple of dates 141 00:06:18,347 --> 00:06:19,547 Speaker 4: on the highs and to look forward to. I've got 142 00:06:19,787 --> 00:06:23,947 Speaker 4: the World champ event in August, I'll be back over 143 00:06:23,987 --> 00:06:27,107 Speaker 4: in Europe then to compete in that that's in Italy, 144 00:06:28,627 --> 00:06:30,307 Speaker 4: and then yeah, hopefully over the next couple years and 145 00:06:30,307 --> 00:06:32,867 Speaker 4: can get a few more, few more international events under 146 00:06:32,907 --> 00:06:35,627 Speaker 4: my belt to get a bit more experience. She's put 147 00:06:35,627 --> 00:06:38,627 Speaker 4: me in best position for competing in La. 148 00:06:38,707 --> 00:06:40,907 Speaker 2: Well, sounds like you're heading in the right direction. Fun. 149 00:06:41,547 --> 00:06:43,147 Speaker 2: Great to jet to you, mate, Thanks for telling us 150 00:06:43,147 --> 00:06:45,907 Speaker 2: your story. All the best in the week you hit 151 00:06:45,947 --> 00:06:48,827 Speaker 2: at the pause Nan Canoe Sprint and Para Canoe World Cup. 152 00:06:48,867 --> 00:06:50,667 Speaker 2: Look forward to hearing a lot more about you, mate 153 00:06:50,827 --> 00:06:53,827 Speaker 2: as we head towards the Paralympics in twenty twenty eight. 154 00:06:53,867 --> 00:06:56,827 Speaker 2: That is Finn Murphy joining us on News Talks ed 155 00:06:56,827 --> 00:06:57,787 Speaker 2: BA for. 156 00:06:57,827 --> 00:07:01,027 Speaker 1: More from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live to 157 00:07:01,107 --> 00:07:04,347 Speaker 1: News Talk saed B weekends from midday, or follow the 158 00:07:04,347 --> 00:07:05,867 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio.