1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Good morning and welcome to Thursday. You are with the 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:07,000 Speaker 1: Daily os Zara here joined by Sam Kolowski, and we're 3 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: taking through the day's news. Sam, do you want to 4 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,240 Speaker 1: start off with some COVID news? 5 00:00:11,280 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 2: And it wasn't for it, Love, It was not good 6 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 2: news for most of the country. Yesterday, New South Wales 7 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 2: recorded oney one hundred and sixteen locally acquired cases of 8 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:25,119 Speaker 2: COVID and New South Wales Health reported for deaths. In 9 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:27,880 Speaker 2: Victoria there are one hundred and twenty locally acquired cases 10 00:00:27,920 --> 00:00:30,640 Speaker 2: of COVID nineteen, quite a big jump from the day before, 11 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:34,720 Speaker 2: with Premier Daniel Andrews announcing yesterday that Victoria's lockdown is 12 00:00:34,720 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 2: to be extended until seventy percent of Victorians have had 13 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 2: at least one dose of the vaccine now. According to 14 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 2: the Victorian government, that date is estimated to be around 15 00:00:44,040 --> 00:00:47,199 Speaker 2: the twenty third of September. In the Act there were 16 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:49,839 Speaker 2: twenty three locally acquired COVID cases yesterday. 17 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:54,400 Speaker 1: We found out yesterday that Australia's economy grew by zero 18 00:00:54,440 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: point seven percent in the June quarter, which means that 19 00:00:56,960 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 1: for now we have avoided a technical recession, which is 20 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: two consecutive quarters of negative growth. The figure beats economists' expectations, 21 00:01:04,880 --> 00:01:07,520 Speaker 1: but it has been warned that the figures aren't entirely 22 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,679 Speaker 1: representative of the economy, given that the prolonged state at 23 00:01:10,720 --> 00:01:13,679 Speaker 1: home orders experienced here in New South Wales only commenced 24 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: in the last week of June. 25 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:18,360 Speaker 2: Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, it's an economic story of a 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: different nature. They've declared an economic emergency after the country 27 00:01:21,920 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 2: experienced a drop in the value of its currency, which 28 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 2: caused food prices to rise substantially. The Sri Lankan repeat 29 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: has fallen by seven point five percent against the US 30 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: dollar this year, and authorities have said that they'll take 31 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,360 Speaker 2: control of the supply of basic food items to try 32 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 2: and stop inflation going out of control. Such emergency measures 33 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 2: came into effect on Tuesday. Sri Lanka is also currently 34 00:01:43,760 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: under a sixteen day curfew after a rise in COVID 35 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 2: nineteen cases. 36 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:52,040 Speaker 1: Today's good News and this is about Dylan Orcott, who 37 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 1: often features in the Dallyos's Good News because he just 38 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: has wins, left, right and center. He's won his quad 39 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:01,560 Speaker 1: single semi finals in the men's wheelchair tennis at the Paralympics, 40 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 1: meaning he'll now compete in the final, which is scheduled 41 00:02:04,400 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: for today. Orcott and his opponent Neils Vink, who's only eighteen, 42 00:02:08,160 --> 00:02:10,919 Speaker 1: shared an emotional moment after the game, embracing each other 43 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:16,080 Speaker 1: after the tough match, and you can find that online. 44 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 2: We set name on this podcast to talk to at 45 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:24,840 Speaker 2: least one Paralympian gold medalist. It was ambitious, but we 46 00:02:24,919 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 2: managed to pull it off, and in fact we've got 47 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:30,480 Speaker 2: somebody who's got two of those gold medals. Today we're 48 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,040 Speaker 2: speaking to Rowan Crothers, who won gold in the four 49 00:02:33,080 --> 00:02:36,200 Speaker 2: by one hundred freestyle relay and the fifty meter freestyle 50 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 2: S ten. We can also throw in a silver medal 51 00:02:38,919 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 2: in the one hundred meter S ten freestyle just for 52 00:02:41,160 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 2: good measure. Rowan had a chat to us from Tokyo 53 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:47,839 Speaker 2: yesterday and it was fascinating to hear his perspectives on 54 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: the COVID Games, but also the way that the crowds 55 00:02:50,880 --> 00:02:53,560 Speaker 2: around the world have gotten behind the Paralympics in twenty 56 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,679 Speaker 2: twenty one. Here's our chat with an Ozzy sporting legend. Hey, Rowan, 57 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:00,120 Speaker 2: great to be speaking with you today. How are you 58 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 2: feeling at the moment? 59 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,639 Speaker 3: Oh good? I finally got sleep last night, which is great, 60 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:07,120 Speaker 3: but it's night you went a gold medal, Like your 61 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:11,080 Speaker 3: dopamine just goes through the absolute roof. That was actually 62 00:03:11,120 --> 00:03:13,320 Speaker 3: really tough and trying to come down. And it's like, say, 63 00:03:13,360 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 3: you know, on one hand, I can go to bed, 64 00:03:15,919 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 3: but on the other hand, every time I touch Instagram, Twitter, whatever, 65 00:03:19,639 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 3: there's new notifications and it's like just checking all that. 66 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:25,760 Speaker 3: Like it's good fun and everything. And yeah, it didn't 67 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 3: get too much sleep, but still swam pretty fast through 68 00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,800 Speaker 3: it and did my best. But it's just been so 69 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 3: much fun out here, you know, like not just with 70 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 3: my swimming, but with cheering everyone else on catching up 71 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,240 Speaker 3: with people that I haven't seen in like two three 72 00:03:38,360 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 3: four years. It's just been an awesome experience. 73 00:03:41,840 --> 00:03:44,680 Speaker 2: It really from the outside looks like it's such a 74 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 2: supportive community of the Australian Paralympic athletes. Are you engaging 75 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:51,920 Speaker 2: with other athletes from around the world as well, or 76 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,240 Speaker 2: has COVID restricted you to kind of those engagements. 77 00:03:55,560 --> 00:03:59,560 Speaker 3: So COVID definitely has restricted those engagements thankfully. Pretty much, 78 00:03:59,680 --> 00:04:03,480 Speaker 3: my best friends internationally outside of the Australian Paralympic team 79 00:04:03,560 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 3: are They're the guys that I'm competing with, so it's 80 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:10,160 Speaker 3: the other swimmers that I'm seeing on pool deck or 81 00:04:10,160 --> 00:04:12,840 Speaker 3: I'm up against in the marshaling room. One thing that 82 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:16,160 Speaker 3: I feel, at least comparing how it is in person 83 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 3: to how it looks on the outside with the Paralympics 84 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 3: versus the Olympics, is like, we're all still competitors. I'm 85 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:24,920 Speaker 3: wanting to touch that wall first in front of everyone else. 86 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 3: So with my one hundred freestyle, as soon as I 87 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:30,360 Speaker 3: touched the wall and I placed second, the first thing 88 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,359 Speaker 3: I did was I just wanted to give Maxim a 89 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:34,640 Speaker 3: big hug and say, you know, congratulations on breaking the 90 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 3: world record, because yeah, we're competitors, but we're best friends 91 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 3: as well. There's just this kind of unspoken choise bond 92 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:44,279 Speaker 3: between everyone, regardless of the country. 93 00:04:44,920 --> 00:04:49,280 Speaker 2: I've noticed after your races, your post race celebrations are 94 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,240 Speaker 2: probably the best in the in the Paralympics. Do you 95 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 2: put any thought to into them before before you get 96 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:55,160 Speaker 2: out there? 97 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 3: Honestly, no, It's just it's pure emotion. Like I touched 98 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 3: the wall and I'm so excited to come first or late, 99 00:05:02,760 --> 00:05:06,080 Speaker 3: it becomes second and happy for the guy that touches 100 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:10,479 Speaker 3: first or whatever. Like you're too tired to really think 101 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,080 Speaker 3: about anything. Yeah, so when you hit the wall and 102 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 3: you get up and you cheer, like, it's what I pilot. 103 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:19,280 Speaker 2: Really In terms of how the Paralympics have been received 104 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 2: and the wave of support you've had from Australia, do 105 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: you think that it's add in all time high at 106 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,280 Speaker 2: the moment and if so, why do you think that is. 107 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 3: I think that a lot of the coverage that has 108 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:35,160 Speaker 3: gone through, not just from Channel seven but also all 109 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:38,240 Speaker 3: of the other international broadcasters and everything. I think a 110 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 3: lot of them are doing a really incredible job of 111 00:05:40,880 --> 00:05:43,920 Speaker 3: just demonstrating the Paralympics and showing what we have to offer. 112 00:05:44,240 --> 00:05:47,440 Speaker 3: I think there's been a massive focus on the elite 113 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 3: sport aspect, not just the impairment aspect, which has been 114 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 3: incredible and great to see because we're not just people 115 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 3: with disabilities or whatever. We are elite athletes and we 116 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:00,560 Speaker 3: are trying to do what we do as best we can, 117 00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 3: and I think it's been really amazing. There's been a 118 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:05,920 Speaker 3: strong focus on that all and all. Like, the coverage 119 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 3: has just been absolutely outstanding. I've had so many wonderful 120 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,960 Speaker 3: messages of support from people my Instagram followers have tripled 121 00:06:13,000 --> 00:06:15,120 Speaker 3: in like a week and a half, which is just awesome. 122 00:06:15,640 --> 00:06:18,080 Speaker 3: I'm loving it all. It's a wonderful platform for me 123 00:06:18,160 --> 00:06:20,479 Speaker 3: to be able to spread my message and talk about 124 00:06:20,520 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 3: what I want to talk about. But it's also you know, 125 00:06:23,720 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 3: it's just amazing. 126 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,719 Speaker 2: What do you want to talk about when it's not 127 00:06:26,880 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 2: the Paralympics. I mean, hopefully these followers will not only triple, 128 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:32,720 Speaker 2: but keep climbing and climbing. And if you're building an 129 00:06:32,720 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 2: amazing platform for the three years and eleven months that 130 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 2: we're not talking about the Paralympics, what else do you 131 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 2: want to be talking to your followers about the rest 132 00:06:40,800 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 2: of the time. 133 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:43,919 Speaker 3: I love posting a good meme, I'll be honest with you. 134 00:06:44,279 --> 00:06:48,280 Speaker 3: But besides that, one of my really strong things is 135 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:53,920 Speaker 3: on inclusion. As a young child with a disability, I 136 00:06:53,960 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 3: got bullied ruthlessly, especially because it wasn't that obvious. You 137 00:06:58,200 --> 00:07:00,480 Speaker 3: take a photo of me and you can can't tell 138 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,920 Speaker 3: her that I have an impairment. I'm not in a wheelchair, 139 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 3: I'm not in the MPT, I have brain damage. So 140 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:08,760 Speaker 3: a lot of the other kids that didn't understand that 141 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,800 Speaker 3: would just absolutely be out my throat constantly. I would 142 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 3: always get called names, always get picked last on teams, 143 00:07:16,000 --> 00:07:18,960 Speaker 3: just all of that kind of stuff. So I pretty 144 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 3: much had nothing to live for before I discovered the Paralympics. 145 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,280 Speaker 3: And I saw that as being an opportunity for me 146 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,080 Speaker 3: to meet like minded people and pursue something and be 147 00:07:29,160 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 3: really really good at something. And my entire dream as 148 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:35,680 Speaker 3: a kid was to make it to the Paralympics. And 149 00:07:35,720 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 3: now that I'm here and now that I'm going through 150 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 3: it all, what I really want to do is give 151 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: that same kind of light bulb moment to other younger 152 00:07:43,000 --> 00:07:46,360 Speaker 3: kids that have disabilities and encourage them to get up 153 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 3: to do something. Doesn't have to be sport, just anything 154 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 3: they're passionate about. It can be drawing, it can be 155 00:07:53,240 --> 00:07:57,119 Speaker 3: playing video games, doing whatever, but just finding some way 156 00:07:57,160 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 3: to really push that passion to its absolute limit. It 157 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 3: that's what I really want to accomplish. 158 00:08:03,080 --> 00:08:06,920 Speaker 2: And I think a tool that Paralympic athletes and all 159 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 2: athletes have that they didn't have twenty years ago is 160 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:12,280 Speaker 2: social media. And the power that you've got now to 161 00:08:12,760 --> 00:08:15,960 Speaker 2: continue interacting with your fans and there's thousands on a 162 00:08:16,040 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: daily basis, is so exciting. Rowan I wanted to ask 163 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 2: you as well. We've had a lot of news coverage 164 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:25,360 Speaker 2: in Australia over the last week or so about the 165 00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 2: prize money given to Paralympic medalists when compared to normal 166 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,320 Speaker 2: Olympic medalists. Do you have any comments about that? 167 00:08:33,160 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 3: So I try not to get too involved in politics. Really, 168 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,199 Speaker 3: I'm an athlete and not a politician, and a lot 169 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:42,839 Speaker 3: of my focus goes into racing really fast and making 170 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:45,480 Speaker 3: sure that I can deliver the absolute best performance on 171 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:48,439 Speaker 3: the day. I still get funding, and I still get 172 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,160 Speaker 3: support to the point where I can do what I 173 00:08:51,200 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 3: love and I can focus all of my energy and 174 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,320 Speaker 3: all of my time into doing what I love, and 175 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 3: that's what's important. And I still have this amazing platform 176 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 3: to share my mess. That's what I need to be happy, 177 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:04,680 Speaker 3: and that's what I really really want in life. No 178 00:09:04,760 --> 00:09:07,960 Speaker 3: amount of money, I feel, would make any difference to that. 179 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 2: One more question for me, Rowan, and then I'll let 180 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,880 Speaker 2: you keep enjoying the dopamine. What else are you looking 181 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:16,559 Speaker 2: forward to for the rest of the Paralympics. There's still 182 00:09:16,920 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 2: five days left of the games. Are you going to 183 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 2: be sticking around and catching some other events? What's going 184 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:22,439 Speaker 2: on for the rest of your week. 185 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,760 Speaker 3: We don't have too much mingling with other sports. We're 186 00:09:25,800 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 3: not allowed to visit other competition venues, so the rest 187 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 3: of this week, I've still got my best friends on 188 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 3: the Aussie team. They still have races coming up. This 189 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 3: is only day eight of competition and there's ten days, 190 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,880 Speaker 3: so tonight I'll be back on pull deck. I'll be 191 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 3: cheering on the rest of the crew getting them home. 192 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,600 Speaker 3: That's going to be great. And then once we finish competing, 193 00:09:46,720 --> 00:09:49,040 Speaker 3: then it's back home and back to just hanging out 194 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,439 Speaker 3: in a hotel room for two weeks. 195 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,599 Speaker 2: I hear your big Gamer, so I'm sure you'll be 196 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 2: keeping yourself busy in those two weeks in quarantine, but 197 00:09:55,120 --> 00:09:59,120 Speaker 2: you also can enjoy the unbelievable feat that you've pulled 198 00:09:59,160 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 2: off in the last week, two gold medals. Rowan. I 199 00:10:01,960 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: can't help but say thank you on behalf of Australia 200 00:10:04,840 --> 00:10:06,599 Speaker 2: for your efforts in the last week, and hope you 201 00:10:06,640 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 2: stay safe and return home safely. 202 00:10:08,559 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 3: Awesome, Thank you very much.