1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 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 Newstalk ZB. 3 00:00:12,707 --> 00:00:16,387 Speaker 2: A team of eighty four student athletes are representing New 4 00:00:16,507 --> 00:00:21,227 Speaker 2: Zealand currently across multiple sports at the FISU World University Games. 5 00:00:21,267 --> 00:00:25,307 Speaker 2: They're on in Germany until next Sunday. The World University 6 00:00:25,347 --> 00:00:28,467 Speaker 2: Games bring together around eight and a half thousand student 7 00:00:28,587 --> 00:00:32,387 Speaker 2: athletes and officials from over one hundred and fifty countries 8 00:00:32,707 --> 00:00:36,707 Speaker 2: to compete for medals in eighteen different sports. New Zealand 9 00:00:36,747 --> 00:00:40,347 Speaker 2: Chef de mission is Evelyn Williamson, who joins us now. Evelyn, 10 00:00:40,387 --> 00:00:43,507 Speaker 2: thanks for your time. How big are the University Games? 11 00:00:44,387 --> 00:00:47,627 Speaker 3: They're about the size and Olympic Games slightly slightly smaller, 12 00:00:47,667 --> 00:00:51,707 Speaker 3: maybe a thousand less athletes, but they are substantial in 13 00:00:51,787 --> 00:00:55,387 Speaker 3: terms of multi sports. Second biggest games multi sport games 14 00:00:55,387 --> 00:00:56,947 Speaker 3: on the calendar after Olympic Games. 15 00:00:57,587 --> 00:01:00,547 Speaker 2: Tell us about the sports that we have athletes competing in. 16 00:01:03,267 --> 00:01:05,067 Speaker 4: I'm probably going to miss them if I'm having to 17 00:01:05,067 --> 00:01:06,187 Speaker 4: reel them off. Let's let me. 18 00:01:06,867 --> 00:01:16,547 Speaker 3: We have basketball, athletics, rhythmic and art of the gymnastics, fencing, rowing, 19 00:01:18,027 --> 00:01:18,867 Speaker 3: water polo. 20 00:01:19,987 --> 00:01:26,107 Speaker 4: Two teams, men's and women's beach volleyball, and I feel 21 00:01:26,147 --> 00:01:27,107 Speaker 4: like I've missed something. 22 00:01:27,507 --> 00:01:31,827 Speaker 2: Archery wonderfu. They tach sports wonderful, so a real mix. 23 00:01:32,907 --> 00:01:36,747 Speaker 2: Do athletes have to be full time tertiary students? Is 24 00:01:36,747 --> 00:01:37,987 Speaker 2: that the qualification? 25 00:01:38,467 --> 00:01:42,067 Speaker 4: Yeah, they have to be enrolled in a full time course. Yeah. 26 00:01:42,187 --> 00:01:46,947 Speaker 4: I think there's probably every institution has a different sort 27 00:01:46,947 --> 00:01:48,987 Speaker 4: of definition of that. But yeah, they have to. 28 00:01:48,947 --> 00:01:50,827 Speaker 3: Be studying and they have to be there between the 29 00:01:50,867 --> 00:01:52,347 Speaker 3: ages of eighteen and twenty five. 30 00:01:53,107 --> 00:01:56,227 Speaker 2: And are some of our athletes studying offshore? 31 00:01:57,867 --> 00:01:58,107 Speaker 4: Yep? 32 00:01:58,187 --> 00:02:01,467 Speaker 3: Yeah, We've got quite a few from American universities here 33 00:02:01,507 --> 00:02:05,067 Speaker 3: who certainly are in New Zealand very often and have 34 00:02:05,147 --> 00:02:09,107 Speaker 3: come straight from their American base or European base. 35 00:02:09,427 --> 00:02:09,627 Speaker 4: Yep. 36 00:02:10,307 --> 00:02:14,187 Speaker 2: I know that at previous Games, the likes of Eliza McCartney, 37 00:02:14,267 --> 00:02:17,427 Speaker 2: z Ohe Hobbs, Hamish Kerr, Anthony mass laur and Boyle 38 00:02:17,507 --> 00:02:22,027 Speaker 2: have competed. Do some of this current team see this 39 00:02:22,067 --> 00:02:23,987 Speaker 2: as a bit of a stepping stone to Commonwealth Games 40 00:02:24,027 --> 00:02:25,267 Speaker 2: to Olympic Games? Perhaps? 41 00:02:26,867 --> 00:02:27,747 Speaker 4: I think that's the joy. 42 00:02:27,907 --> 00:02:31,987 Speaker 3: You never really know, and it's always a lovely surprise 43 00:02:32,027 --> 00:02:35,267 Speaker 3: when they do kick on. Obviously some of them this 44 00:02:35,267 --> 00:02:38,627 Speaker 3: will be the biggest thing they ever do, and especially 45 00:02:38,707 --> 00:02:41,267 Speaker 3: for some of our smaller sports we're making the Olympic 46 00:02:41,307 --> 00:02:44,947 Speaker 3: Games and fencing and archery, you know, are pretty it's 47 00:02:44,947 --> 00:02:49,307 Speaker 3: a pretty big mountain to climb, but the likes of athletics, 48 00:02:49,307 --> 00:02:54,427 Speaker 3: some of those mainstream sports. Athletics definitely are definitely a 49 00:02:54,467 --> 00:02:56,107 Speaker 3: stepping stone for probably some of them. 50 00:02:56,587 --> 00:02:59,067 Speaker 4: And water polo. 51 00:02:59,627 --> 00:03:02,547 Speaker 3: We're building a water polo program where they're trying really hard. 52 00:03:02,587 --> 00:03:05,227 Speaker 4: I think funding is obviously the hardest thing. 53 00:03:05,227 --> 00:03:08,667 Speaker 3: But we narrowly out on getting a woman's water polo 54 00:03:08,707 --> 00:03:12,947 Speaker 3: team to Paris last year. They're really hopeful that we 55 00:03:13,067 --> 00:03:15,707 Speaker 3: might get across the line for LA in twenty eight. 56 00:03:16,307 --> 00:03:19,227 Speaker 3: So some of these girls will be, you know, at 57 00:03:19,227 --> 00:03:23,267 Speaker 3: the right age and stage for that. So I'm hoping 58 00:03:23,267 --> 00:03:27,987 Speaker 3: these experiences really set them up for what could be 59 00:03:28,547 --> 00:03:30,787 Speaker 3: a big deal when what water polo might debut on 60 00:03:31,147 --> 00:03:35,107 Speaker 3: a New Zealand team in LA and twenty eight wonderful stuff. 61 00:03:35,147 --> 00:03:38,587 Speaker 2: Now competition I see is taking place across three cities. 62 00:03:38,947 --> 00:03:41,547 Speaker 2: What sort of logistical challenges does that create for you. 63 00:03:42,947 --> 00:03:44,827 Speaker 4: I don't think there's much time and enough time in 64 00:03:44,867 --> 00:03:45,867 Speaker 4: this interview. Jason. 65 00:03:47,467 --> 00:03:51,907 Speaker 3: It is quite it is really quite difficult. It's hard 66 00:03:51,947 --> 00:03:55,067 Speaker 3: to build a team when you are in three city. Well, 67 00:03:55,187 --> 00:03:57,627 Speaker 3: there's actually five cities across the games. We're lucky we're 68 00:03:57,667 --> 00:04:03,187 Speaker 3: only in three, but we're at eleven hotels and you know, 69 00:04:03,387 --> 00:04:08,547 Speaker 3: so you can imagine you're having to duplicate, replicate everything 70 00:04:08,667 --> 00:04:12,347 Speaker 3: that you do and you're managing lots of things at 71 00:04:12,347 --> 00:04:12,907 Speaker 3: the same time. 72 00:04:13,027 --> 00:04:17,347 Speaker 4: It's it's not a great model. They're making it work 73 00:04:17,427 --> 00:04:18,707 Speaker 4: for where we are and. 74 00:04:18,707 --> 00:04:22,547 Speaker 3: They're doing their best, but it is a difficult to 75 00:04:22,587 --> 00:04:25,947 Speaker 3: feel like you're part of a New Zealand team or 76 00:04:25,947 --> 00:04:28,787 Speaker 3: any team when you're spread out across such a wide 77 00:04:29,667 --> 00:04:31,227 Speaker 3: range of properties. 78 00:04:31,707 --> 00:04:33,227 Speaker 4: The one nice thing about this is a. 79 00:04:33,227 --> 00:04:35,107 Speaker 3: Lot of it's a lot of the sports are based 80 00:04:35,147 --> 00:04:39,147 Speaker 3: in the center of Essen in a big convention center, 81 00:04:39,187 --> 00:04:42,067 Speaker 3: which is something that New Zealand doesn't really quite have. 82 00:04:42,507 --> 00:04:45,147 Speaker 3: So there's about eight sports in there and big giant 83 00:04:45,187 --> 00:04:48,187 Speaker 3: halls and that's where the main dining is, and so 84 00:04:48,227 --> 00:04:49,547 Speaker 3: it's quite a melting pot in there. 85 00:04:50,107 --> 00:04:50,787 Speaker 4: It's pretty cool. 86 00:04:50,867 --> 00:04:53,467 Speaker 3: It gives you a real games vibe, but beyond that, 87 00:04:53,547 --> 00:04:56,067 Speaker 3: it's it is quite difficult to manage. 88 00:04:56,267 --> 00:04:59,987 Speaker 2: I can imagine eleven different hotels and I know where 89 00:04:59,987 --> 00:05:03,267 Speaker 2: you're supposed to be at a certain time. Evelyn, in 90 00:05:03,347 --> 00:05:05,147 Speaker 2: terms of now, what could possibly. 91 00:05:04,827 --> 00:05:08,227 Speaker 4: Go around eighteen to twenty five year old in eleven hotels. 92 00:05:08,467 --> 00:05:12,187 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a very good way of putting it. But 93 00:05:12,627 --> 00:05:15,347 Speaker 2: are the athletes able to support one another? Is there? 94 00:05:15,667 --> 00:05:18,147 Speaker 2: I know they're concentrating on their own sports, but can 95 00:05:18,187 --> 00:05:19,907 Speaker 2: they go and cheer along the other kiwis if they 96 00:05:19,987 --> 00:05:20,387 Speaker 2: have time? 97 00:05:21,747 --> 00:05:24,067 Speaker 3: There's a small window for each of them, and it's 98 00:05:24,107 --> 00:05:26,507 Speaker 3: pretty small, and that's another thing that gets lost in 99 00:05:26,547 --> 00:05:32,827 Speaker 3: this sort of model though, because you're in hotels. It's 100 00:05:32,867 --> 00:05:35,867 Speaker 3: a costly exercise, so they've restricted the length of stay. 101 00:05:35,987 --> 00:05:38,227 Speaker 3: You're only allowed to arrive three days before your event 102 00:05:38,267 --> 00:05:41,227 Speaker 3: and you have to leave within forty eight hours after 103 00:05:41,267 --> 00:05:43,507 Speaker 3: your event, So there's not a lot of time for 104 00:05:43,547 --> 00:05:46,707 Speaker 3: that stuff, which is usually the lovely organic stuff that 105 00:05:46,747 --> 00:05:51,147 Speaker 3: happens within a team. And there is a little bit 106 00:05:51,307 --> 00:05:54,187 Speaker 3: but and then you know, the transport goes from their 107 00:05:54,187 --> 00:05:56,867 Speaker 3: hotel to their venue. It doesn't get you necessarily to 108 00:05:56,947 --> 00:05:59,627 Speaker 3: other venues, so you've got to rely on public transport 109 00:05:59,667 --> 00:06:01,907 Speaker 3: to get yourself to watch your teammates. 110 00:06:02,427 --> 00:06:03,627 Speaker 4: So there's a few barriers to that. 111 00:06:03,747 --> 00:06:05,587 Speaker 3: But we're trying to make it work and making it 112 00:06:05,587 --> 00:06:08,107 Speaker 3: easy for the athlete by giving them some wayfinding, and 113 00:06:08,587 --> 00:06:11,627 Speaker 3: they get free public transport access, so that helps. So 114 00:06:11,707 --> 00:06:15,907 Speaker 3: there's some positives, but it is unfortunately not like being 115 00:06:15,907 --> 00:06:16,547 Speaker 3: in a village. 116 00:06:17,267 --> 00:06:20,667 Speaker 2: What are the competition venues like great? 117 00:06:20,907 --> 00:06:26,067 Speaker 3: The venues have been The venues are world class. It's 118 00:06:26,187 --> 00:06:30,707 Speaker 3: really impressive, really well. The overlay that they've put on 119 00:06:31,467 --> 00:06:36,067 Speaker 3: some of the existing infrastructure has been impressive. So I 120 00:06:36,107 --> 00:06:38,307 Speaker 3: think that's a lovely thing that the efforts are going 121 00:06:38,347 --> 00:06:41,627 Speaker 3: to have. They have great accommodation, it's comfortable, it's nice, 122 00:06:41,627 --> 00:06:43,147 Speaker 3: we're not sleeping on cardboard beds. 123 00:06:43,707 --> 00:06:45,747 Speaker 4: And they get to their. 124 00:06:45,707 --> 00:06:49,507 Speaker 3: Venue and it's an awesome venue so they can perform. 125 00:06:50,027 --> 00:06:51,907 Speaker 4: So that's really what you're here for. 126 00:06:52,227 --> 00:06:54,587 Speaker 3: So you know, all that other stuff is window dressing, 127 00:06:54,987 --> 00:06:57,427 Speaker 3: but it's also nice. But they're going to be able 128 00:06:57,467 --> 00:06:58,227 Speaker 3: to do what they need to do. 129 00:06:58,947 --> 00:07:00,947 Speaker 2: And this isn't your first rodeo. Of course, you've been 130 00:07:00,987 --> 00:07:04,907 Speaker 2: involved in the delivery of many, many International Games campaigns. 131 00:07:04,907 --> 00:07:08,427 Speaker 2: Do you still get surprised occasionally by something that pops up? 132 00:07:09,787 --> 00:07:11,907 Speaker 4: Surprise every day? Jason is. 133 00:07:12,467 --> 00:07:15,627 Speaker 3: Every campaign is a learning experience. 134 00:07:17,627 --> 00:07:21,667 Speaker 4: There's just it is fascinating. Things can still surprise you. 135 00:07:21,747 --> 00:07:25,187 Speaker 3: But every city is different, and every organizing committee is 136 00:07:25,227 --> 00:07:28,827 Speaker 3: different and so you're always dealing with the same stuff, 137 00:07:28,827 --> 00:07:32,227 Speaker 3: but it's on a different canvas, you know, so you've 138 00:07:32,227 --> 00:07:35,907 Speaker 3: got different challenges. So there's you're never short of surprises. 139 00:07:35,907 --> 00:07:39,387 Speaker 3: And that's what I actually love because I love fixing. 140 00:07:39,107 --> 00:07:41,307 Speaker 4: With the team around me. You know. 141 00:07:41,387 --> 00:07:44,747 Speaker 3: Our daily job is just basically troubleshooting and making sure 142 00:07:44,787 --> 00:07:46,507 Speaker 3: that the coaches can do their jobs. So we're just 143 00:07:47,107 --> 00:07:50,867 Speaker 3: it's like a big jigsaw puzzle every time and it 144 00:07:50,987 --> 00:07:52,947 Speaker 3: keeps you, keeps you sharp, and. 145 00:07:52,867 --> 00:07:53,747 Speaker 4: It keeps you thinking. 146 00:07:54,387 --> 00:07:57,987 Speaker 3: So those challengers are actually kind of fun when you 147 00:07:58,027 --> 00:07:58,507 Speaker 3: solve them. 148 00:07:58,867 --> 00:08:01,547 Speaker 2: Awesome. Well, I've seen heaps a great social media content 149 00:08:01,627 --> 00:08:04,427 Speaker 2: back here, our people back here able to follow the games. 150 00:08:04,427 --> 00:08:06,907 Speaker 2: Are Are there broadcast options ofailable or not? 151 00:08:07,907 --> 00:08:09,387 Speaker 4: Yeah, there's online broadcast. 152 00:08:09,467 --> 00:08:13,747 Speaker 3: It's called fiesu TV if I su dot TV and 153 00:08:14,147 --> 00:08:19,027 Speaker 3: they're dreaming most sports live, so yes you can. And 154 00:08:19,147 --> 00:08:22,027 Speaker 3: we're doing I think we're doing. It's not my fute, 155 00:08:22,187 --> 00:08:26,347 Speaker 3: but we are doing as much as we as well 156 00:08:26,347 --> 00:08:33,467 Speaker 3: in lots of different formats. Don't ask me what those are. Instagram, tektok, Facebook, 157 00:08:33,747 --> 00:08:34,507 Speaker 3: and then I'm lost. 158 00:08:34,707 --> 00:08:36,667 Speaker 2: It's like looking at a mirror. I know exactly what 159 00:08:36,707 --> 00:08:40,027 Speaker 2: you mean, I know exactly what you mean. Evely, It's 160 00:08:40,067 --> 00:08:43,467 Speaker 2: been great to chat. Look, we will follow with interest 161 00:08:43,467 --> 00:08:45,147 Speaker 2: the next week or so of our athletes at the 162 00:08:45,907 --> 00:08:47,667 Speaker 2: World Uni Games. Thanks so much for taking the time 163 00:08:47,667 --> 00:08:48,347 Speaker 2: for a chat today. 164 00:08:48,667 --> 00:08:49,627 Speaker 4: Thank you, Jason. 165 00:08:49,747 --> 00:08:52,587 Speaker 3: It's a wonderful opportunity for them, so appreciate the airtime. 166 00:08:52,987 --> 00:08:55,067 Speaker 2: No, I appreciate you joining us, Evelan. Thanks indeed, shift 167 00:08:55,067 --> 00:08:58,067 Speaker 2: a mission of our New Zealand team at the FISU 168 00:08:58,147 --> 00:09:02,827 Speaker 2: World University Games in Germany. Evelyn Williamson joining us on 169 00:09:02,987 --> 00:09:03,827 Speaker 2: Weekend Sport. 170 00:09:04,387 --> 00:09:07,267 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jesson and Fine, listen 171 00:09:07,347 --> 00:09:10,587 Speaker 1: live to news talks at b weekends from midday, or 172 00:09:10,667 --> 00:09:12,627 Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio