After both being a part of the gold medal winning eight crew in Tokyo, rowers Phillip Wilson and Dan Williamson have linked up in the men's pair for the Paris Olympics.
Adam Cooper caught up with Wilson during his final preparations for racing.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
From grassroots to gold medals. It's the All Sports Breakfast
with ruthervid Andvon Toyota and King Toyota on NEWSTALKSB.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
News Talks HEB on the Allsport Breakfast. While we're continuing
to count down to day one proper at the Paris Olympics,
a lot of the main sports are getting underway officially
late afternoon early evening our time tonight, including rowing. And
it's started to talk to one of the Wellington rowers
in the New Zealand Olympics squad once again, and that
is Philip Wilson. He won gold as part of the
(00:30):
men's eight in Tokyo No Eight this time around, but
Phil has linked up with fellow gold medal winning eight
rower Dan Williamson. They're in the men's pair and kickstart
their campaign in Paris tomorrow night as part of the
Neusenna rowing squad. Philip Wilson is with us now. Phil
always appreciate your time here on News Talks EDB and
(00:50):
thanks for much like Lewis before fitting us in, tell
us how you're all settled in and ready to go
for tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Good I Adam, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
The Ryan course for the Olympics here in Paris is
more out east, not really near the center of Paris
at this time, but it's a great location and the
setup they've got there at the course is really good
and it's a little bit open, so the conditions could
be a bit variable, but overall it's I think it's
going to be a great racing.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, okay. And given that location where you are, you
in a satellite village, not not the main athletes village.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Are we not in the village this year, which is
it takes away a little bit of some the Olympic experience.
But the setup we've got out of our hotel near
the course with a couple of other countries is great,
and I mean it reduces the amount of transport time
that we have to the course on race days, which
can if you hit some traffic. You don't want to
(01:47):
be late for your race. So it's good to good
to be out here and settled in and ready for
ready for racing, come come Sunday.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
And phil imagine it's just nice to be on the
ground there in Paris in general, and just ours out
from racing. You know, since your big win in Tokyo,
I guess there's been a fair bit of uncertainty at
times over what boat you might be in when the
eight disbanded, but even lately with that delayed Olympic selection
for yourself and Dan and who would go in the pair,
is it nice to have all that behind you now?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, it's great to finally be here and the race,
the setup we've had since sort of confirming selection. And
as you say, it's been a bit of a weird,
weird cycle, especially first of all three years it's a
bit shorter than normal. But to be in that final
little couple of steps leading into the leading into the
(02:39):
regattas it's it's amazing, And I mean it's a privilege
to be here representing my country once again, and I
look forward to being able to get down get down
there and race my heart out.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, and you pretty much had to race your heart
out of that most recent World's Cup with a fast
time to earn that Olympic selection with Dan of it
came down to the wire. Phil having to work so
hard for that just recently, has that helped you be
in better nick for the Games themselves?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Now?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I'd say the little bit of extra selection pressure definitely
focused us in that last one or two for the
we were rowing Cup three in Posnan. We knew we
didn't have the result that we wanted to at Lucerne
earlier in the year, but we we really knuckled down
and made sure that we were going the best we
(03:30):
could come Posnan. But ultimately our focus has always been
on Paris and making sure that we're heading the ground
running once we get Once we get to the regatta here,
I mean Ben and Campbell, they definitely.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Showed that they were they were capable.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Of racing us together and we had to we had
to prove to ourselves and to the and to the
selectors that we were the right crew for the men's
peer come the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah great, well, now you're need to race. Have you
got an indication of exactly how you're tracking? And I
guess how that matches up with how your opponents have
been racing too.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
It's difficult to know how you are running.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Obviously, we haven't raced any of the guys that will
be racing against for about five weeks or so, so
you know that everyone's been working hard back at their
bases making sure that they're they're tuned and ready to
ready to go. But we're definitely confident in our speed
we've been. We've got a great wider squad here that.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Is top notch.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Everyone's everyone's really hitting these straps at the right time
come the Olympics. So it's been a it's been good
to be able to compare ourselves to everyone in the
squad and sort of know that we are we are
tracking along well. But obviously it's it's about the other
pairs and racing against the other countries at the at
(04:52):
the Games, and got to beat twelve other crews to
be the ones that are standing on the dice, top
of the dice come the end of the regatta.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Wellington Olympic rower Philip Wilson with us just about to
start his campaign at the Paris Olympics. Of course, one
gold with the eight in Tokyo, now with the men's
pair and alongside fellow gold medal winning eights roller from
last time, Dan Williamson and Phil You and Dan both
shared that moment in Tokyo together being part of the
gold medal winning boat. How much confidence do you have
(05:22):
in each other knowing that you're both in a boat
together now but been through knowing exactly what it takes
to win Olympic gold one.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Definitely take confidence from the success of Tokyo. It's been
been a bit of a weird three years, but even
just to be on the podium together at World Cup
three in Posnan, I think that was that was a
testament to sort of the hard work that we have
been doing, the dealing with the adversity through the campaign
(05:54):
and through the cycle.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
So it's a it's and we have confidence and each other.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We know how each other moves, and we've seen each
other at our limits, both in racing and in training,
so it's it's definitely easy to be able to keep
working and push yourself to the limit when you know
the guy with you and the boat is going to
do in the exact same every single stroke down the course.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And after empty stands and no friends and family able
to be there in Tokyo, how exciting is it having
everyone there cheering you on. Have you've got a big
touring party there following your film.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
It keeps seeing all the all the photos and keep
getting messages of people who who are getting on the
plane over the past couple of weeks getting ready to
come over, and it's going to be awesome. I think
I've got maybe twenty five to thirty people coming to
watch the regatta and watch me race, and it's going
(06:49):
to be completely different to Tokyo. The fans, they are
able to be right there from starting to finish, and
the looking at the stands here and here at the venue,
it's it's quite a big one.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
So I think it's to get pretty loud. This is
going to be awesome.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
But to be able to get after that each race,
be able to see them and be able to catch
up with them, give them a big hug.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
As going to be awesome.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Awesome, Phil, We're glad to hear you've said it and
well there and pumped for hopefully more Olympic success for
yourself and Dan and the whole New Zealand rowing crew
there as well. Really appreciate your time here on News TALKSB,
back in your hometown, willing to mate, and we're all
wishing you all the best for the first of those
heats tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Cheers, Adam. Great to chat with you for more from
News Talks EDB. Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on Irradio
From grassroots to gold medals. It's the All Sports Breakfast
with ruthervid Andvon Toyota and King Toyota on NEWSTALKSB.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
News Talks HEB on the Allsport Breakfast. While we're continuing
to count down to day one proper at the Paris Olympics,
a lot of the main sports are getting underway officially
late afternoon early evening our time tonight, including rowing. And
it's started to talk to one of the Wellington rowers
in the New Zealand Olympics squad once again, and that
is Philip Wilson. He won gold as part of the
(00:30):
men's eight in Tokyo No Eight this time around, but
Phil has linked up with fellow gold medal winning eight
rower Dan Williamson. They're in the men's pair and kickstart
their campaign in Paris tomorrow night as part of the
Neusenna rowing squad. Philip Wilson is with us now. Phil
always appreciate your time here on News Talks EDB and
(00:50):
thanks for much like Lewis before fitting us in, tell
us how you're all settled in and ready to go
for tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
Good I Adam, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
The Ryan course for the Olympics here in Paris is
more out east, not really near the center of Paris
at this time, but it's a great location and the
setup they've got there at the course is really good
and it's a little bit open, so the conditions could
be a bit variable, but overall it's I think it's
going to be a great racing.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Yeah, okay. And given that location where you are, you
in a satellite village, not not the main athletes village.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Are we not in the village this year, which is
it takes away a little bit of some the Olympic experience.
But the setup we've got out of our hotel near
the course with a couple of other countries is great,
and I mean it reduces the amount of transport time
that we have to the course on race days, which
can if you hit some traffic. You don't want to
(01:47):
be late for your race. So it's good to good
to be out here and settled in and ready for
ready for racing, come come Sunday.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
And phil imagine it's just nice to be on the
ground there in Paris in general, and just ours out
from racing. You know, since your big win in Tokyo,
I guess there's been a fair bit of uncertainty at
times over what boat you might be in when the
eight disbanded, but even lately with that delayed Olympic selection
for yourself and Dan and who would go in the pair,
is it nice to have all that behind you now?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, it's great to finally be here and the race,
the setup we've had since sort of confirming selection. And
as you say, it's been a bit of a weird,
weird cycle, especially first of all three years it's a
bit shorter than normal. But to be in that final
little couple of steps leading into the leading into the
(02:39):
regattas it's it's amazing, And I mean it's a privilege
to be here representing my country once again, and I
look forward to being able to get down get down
there and race my heart out.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, and you pretty much had to race your heart
out of that most recent World's Cup with a fast
time to earn that Olympic selection with Dan of it
came down to the wire. Phil having to work so
hard for that just recently, has that helped you be
in better nick for the Games themselves?
Speaker 1 (03:06):
Now?
Speaker 3 (03:07):
I'd say the little bit of extra selection pressure definitely
focused us in that last one or two for the
we were rowing Cup three in Posnan. We knew we
didn't have the result that we wanted to at Lucerne
earlier in the year, but we we really knuckled down
and made sure that we were going the best we
(03:30):
could come Posnan. But ultimately our focus has always been
on Paris and making sure that we're heading the ground
running once we get Once we get to the regatta here,
I mean Ben and Campbell, they definitely.
Speaker 1 (03:45):
Showed that they were they were capable.
Speaker 3 (03:48):
Of racing us together and we had to we had
to prove to ourselves and to the and to the
selectors that we were the right crew for the men's
peer come the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Yeah great, well, now you're need to race. Have you
got an indication of exactly how you're tracking? And I
guess how that matches up with how your opponents have
been racing too.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
It's difficult to know how you are running.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Obviously, we haven't raced any of the guys that will
be racing against for about five weeks or so, so
you know that everyone's been working hard back at their
bases making sure that they're they're tuned and ready to
ready to go. But we're definitely confident in our speed
we've been. We've got a great wider squad here that.
Speaker 1 (04:30):
Is top notch.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Everyone's everyone's really hitting these straps at the right time
come the Olympics. So it's been a it's been good
to be able to compare ourselves to everyone in the
squad and sort of know that we are we are
tracking along well. But obviously it's it's about the other
pairs and racing against the other countries at the at
(04:52):
the Games, and got to beat twelve other crews to
be the ones that are standing on the dice, top
of the dice come the end of the regatta.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Wellington Olympic rower Philip Wilson with us just about to
start his campaign at the Paris Olympics. Of course, one
gold with the eight in Tokyo, now with the men's
pair and alongside fellow gold medal winning eights roller from
last time, Dan Williamson and Phil You and Dan both
shared that moment in Tokyo together being part of the
gold medal winning boat. How much confidence do you have
(05:22):
in each other knowing that you're both in a boat
together now but been through knowing exactly what it takes
to win Olympic gold one.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
Definitely take confidence from the success of Tokyo. It's been
been a bit of a weird three years, but even
just to be on the podium together at World Cup
three in Posnan, I think that was that was a
testament to sort of the hard work that we have
been doing, the dealing with the adversity through the campaign
(05:54):
and through the cycle.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
So it's a it's and we have confidence and each other.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
We know how each other moves, and we've seen each
other at our limits, both in racing and in training,
so it's it's definitely easy to be able to keep
working and push yourself to the limit when you know
the guy with you and the boat is going to
do in the exact same every single stroke down the course.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
And after empty stands and no friends and family able
to be there in Tokyo, how exciting is it having
everyone there cheering you on. Have you've got a big
touring party there following your film.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
Yes.
Speaker 3 (06:27):
It keeps seeing all the all the photos and keep
getting messages of people who who are getting on the
plane over the past couple of weeks getting ready to
come over, and it's going to be awesome. I think
I've got maybe twenty five to thirty people coming to
watch the regatta and watch me race, and it's going
(06:49):
to be completely different to Tokyo. The fans, they are
able to be right there from starting to finish, and
the looking at the stands here and here at the venue,
it's it's quite a big one.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
So I think it's to get pretty loud. This is
going to be awesome.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
But to be able to get after that each race,
be able to see them and be able to catch
up with them, give them a big hug.
Speaker 1 (07:08):
As going to be awesome.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Awesome, Phil, We're glad to hear you've said it and
well there and pumped for hopefully more Olympic success for
yourself and Dan and the whole New Zealand rowing crew
there as well. Really appreciate your time here on News TALKSB,
back in your hometown, willing to mate, and we're all
wishing you all the best for the first of those
heats tomorrow night.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Cheers, Adam. Great to chat with you for more from
News Talks EDB. Listen live on air or online, and
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Keep our shows with you wherever you go with our
podcasts on Irradio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com