Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Olympic high jump champion Hamish Kerr. He's back in action
this weekend for the first time since winning gold in Paris.
Hamous Kerr for the gold.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Middle Kiwi's can fly and Hamuskur scales his everest and
his high jump Olympic champion and he is away hamous
Cur sprinting around this arena.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
He is one of the star attractions at the historic
Cooks Classic meeting in Fanganui, Paris. Paralympic champion sprinter and
a Grimaldi also competing along with other Olympians Sam Tanner,
Lauren Bruce and Ethan Oliver. Hamish Kerr is with us Hamos.
Great to get the Chalns to chatty for the first
time in twenty twenty five. And it is twenty twenty
(01:00):
five now. How challenging has it been to move on
and to look forward and refolk after the incredible twenty
twenty four that you had, including winning Olympic gold in Paris.
Speaker 4 (01:13):
Yeah, it's definitely been interesting, that's for sure. I mean,
obviously in the last year it was pretty special. Just
been up to celebrate and enjoy what I've done. But
it's kind of nice that there's a new number on
the year now and we can just kind of start
looking forward. But yeah, I'm super excited to jump today
and get into what should be the start of an
awesome season.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
When did you start training properly again.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Jumping wise? Probably about three weeks ago, okay, so yeah,
so it'll be interesting to see what happens, you know,
in terms of competing so quickly after that. But I've
been sort of in training since about November, just not
really seriously, and then and then sort of once all
the Christmas New Year's stuff kind of got out of
the way, then we've started to crack back into it.
But I mean the thing is this year, as obviously
(02:00):
we're looking towards September and that been our World Champs.
So yeah, there's still a week bit of time to come.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
This is, though, a lot earlier in your training block
than you would usually compete, isn't it. So why have
you decided to get under weigh this early?
Speaker 4 (02:14):
Yeah? No, it is, it is much earlier, I think.
I mean, look, we've got a great opportunity to compete
in New Zealand and it's something that you know, I
sat down with Jimmy and my coach and we sort
of identified the fact that it is a pretty cool
opportunity now to compete in New Zealand and get out
there in front of his young crowd and give them
a good show. So I think, you know, there was
there was a bit of commitment there around around you know,
(02:35):
what I wanted to do domestically. But also I think,
you know, these days we are in positions where we
do have to compete when we're slightly less than optimal.
So this is just another case of trying to test
that and to see how deep we can really push.
Speaker 2 (02:48):
This is quite a special venue for you too, isn't
Hamish flung? And do we I think you jump what
to seventeen there in twenty seventeen?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
Is that right?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yes?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah I did. Yeah. So I have had a lovely
relationship with K's Gardens over the years. It's a meat
that I've really enjoyed and done quite well at in
the past. So yeah, I always love coming back and
jumping in front of the woman crowd.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
So when you look ahead, I know, you you know,
in a in a quest for constant improvement where are
you placing your focus now as you look for you know,
incremental and significant improvement over the next few months before
the World Champs.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, I mean, look, there there's always there's you can
you can improve everything, right, Like, I mean, there's these
technical changes we can make, and there's there's sort of
physical changes that we can be pushing. But I think
for me now, you know, one of the big things
that we identified post yeah, post post what was an
amazing last last season, was how do we keep the
enjoyment and just be sustainable over the next probably two
(03:48):
two and a half years before we really crack back
into the next game. So yeah, I think, you know,
the big focus now is actually just about enjoying it
and you know, not being too too deeply focused around
what we're trying to do to get better. Obviously that's
the team's job and you know, the coaching setups job.
But for me, like I'm just I'm just happy to
be back and just enjoying it. So I suppose for me,
(04:09):
that's that's the next few months, is just trying to
get through and be as positive as possible about it.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
So that strikes me as a really interesting balance to strike,
to say, I have a lot more fun. Yeah that
sounds like fun, But yeah, you're able also to keep
laser focused on the things that that will help you
to improve.
Speaker 4 (04:27):
Yeah, I mean, I mean yeah, Like I mean, as
I sort of indicated the team that I've got around
me and the people that are making those hard decisions
around what I'm actually doing it training, the ore the
ones who are who are you know, continually making sure
that I am progressing as an athlete. And then that
sort of means that when I get to turn up
to training, I get to enjoy it a wee bit
more and just sort of take each session as it comes.
(04:48):
But yeah, I think it is about trying to learn
that balance of what is fun and also for me,
you know, I am in the lead athlete, getting better
is fun, and so you know, at a point where
you know, now I'm starting to take it a bit
more seriously, I actually do find a lot of enjoyment
in that as well. So yeah, I think I think
they go hand in hand quite nicely.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
So the World Outdoor Champs Tokyo September, you must you
must feel as though you're a real shot, do you
at at winning gold there?
Speaker 4 (05:17):
Yeah, definitely, I mean, that's the focus, right is to
try and try and tick off that that final big
global global title, which is the one that I don't have.
So yeah, I do think that I'm capable of doing it.
But at the same time, you know, like like I've
said time and time again, there's some some pretty talented
guys in the field of high jump at the moment,
and so you know, for me, it's about doing as
(05:38):
much as I can, but knowing those boys will also
be doing all they can to you know, push me
off that top spot.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
Yeah. Well, sort of medalist from Paris, Shelby mcew and
he's only twenty eight, same age as you, so presumably
he'll go round again. What about Muta's Bashem and Jim
Marco Tamburry are they I think bash might have retired.
Here's tam Bury retired.
Speaker 4 (05:57):
You'd have to ask them, Ah, what are you hearing?
Oh mate, honestly, you hear everything. Hear everything on the
on tour. It's it's you know, I mean, I'm pretty
sure Barshon was supposed to retire about five years ago.
And Dan Barry's sort of you know, had his last
season about three seasons in a row. So honestly, mate,
Like I mean, I'm expecting them to be there. I
(06:18):
think that they both, you know, have so much more
they can give to the sport, and they both I
think the fact that they both didn't win the games, yeah,
really really kind of changed it. I had a feeling
that if either one of them got gold last year,
they would have retired, but unfortunately I had to go
and put a scanner in networks. And yeah, I think
I think they'll be back.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
Although, yeah, you've elong gated their careers in other words,
which I think is a good thing.
Speaker 4 (06:41):
So you know, I aim to continue to elongate their careers.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Excellent stuff. So are you already sort of starting you
mentioned before about the you know, over the next couple
of years two and a half years. Are you already though,
plotting your path to Los Angeles in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
Yeah, I mean we've had conversations around it, for sure.
I know, I know that I'm going to be there,
and I know that the goal is definitely to defend
and potentially jumping on record which is two forty that's
sort of the goal to sort of get us going
for the next four years. But yeah, you know, it's
one thing putting that goal down, and another thing actually
working out how we're going to get there, And I
think that's probably where we're trying to focus our energies
(07:19):
and at the moment as understanding how we can actually
achieve that.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
How many people do Reckon have seen and touched your
gold medal in the last few months? Oh?
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Thousands?
Speaker 2 (07:29):
Brilliant?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Yeah, it's been great, Honestly, it's been awesome. I've really
you know, I've had the amazing privilege to take around
schools and businesses and into various events, and it's pretty
cool to see just the lock on people's faces when
they see it for the first time. So yeah, I
encourage anyone if they see me around to try and
get me to drag it out. I'm not bringing it
out as much anymore, but yeah, it's a pretty special
(07:52):
thing to have, that's for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
Absolutely it is. Well, look brilliant twenty twenty four, hope
twenty twenty five is just as good for your Hamish
good The chat is always all the best and fine
and are we awesome?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Mate?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Thanks hates no, thank you, how much Hamish cur there
Olympic high jump champion back to it this evening at
the Cooks Classic in Fonganue, fairly iconic track and field event.
Great to see Hamish Kerr there along with a couple
of other Olympians, Sam Tana and a Grimaldy Paralympic two
hundred meter champions. She'll be running tonight as well. I
(08:22):
believe this is all live streamed on Athletics New Zealand's
YouTube channel. It actually starts at four o'clock this afternoon,
but the main action is from around about seven o'clock.
But if you go to the Athletics New Zealand website,
which is athletics dot org dot NZ, the program is
there and all the details on how to live stream
it on their YouTube channel.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
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