Eric Murray: Former Olympian of New Zealand's odds of winning more medals tonight

Four New Zealand rowing crews have the chance to supercharge the country's slow start in day six action at the Paris Olympics.

Both double sculls duos and both coxless four combinations contest their respective finals from 9pm tonight.

Former Olympic rower Eric Murray says Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors are likely to bring home a gold medal for women's rowing.

"Going off paper, they are the fastest qualifiers - and I think they're finding themselves in a position they wouldn't have expected."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well, there is the chance for more medals this evening
in Paris. The rowers are back in action and we're
good at rowing men's and doubles, men's and women's double
skulls finals alongside the men's and women's coxus fours finals
as well. Eric Murray's been there. Eric Murray's won that.
Eric Murray's with me now, Hello, Eric, thank you, Andrew
Hew are you very good? Brook Francis and Lucy Spores

(00:23):
and the double skull women And it says final A.
What does final A mean versus final.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
And rowing? We have we race everything very similar to
the rugby sevens, where you race all the way down
to get a ranking. So if you're in the final amen's,
you're in the top six and you get the chants
for the medals. If you're in a final B then
you're sort of what seven to twelve, and if you're
in a final seed then you're thirteen to eighteen. I'll
try and do my maths, so that's basically what that's

(00:52):
just how rowing too minology?

Speaker 1 (00:53):
Okay, So Brook Francis and Lucy Spores could win a gold.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
The absolutely good at the moment going on paper, they're
the fastest qualifiers, and I think they're finding themselves probably
in a position that they wouldn't have thought that they
would be. You know, two mothers who have been revolutionizing
training to be able to look after their children, you know,
and been able to work together. I think it's a

(01:18):
fabulous story and what they've been able to achieve to
get to this point is pretty special. So you know,
they have an absolute, very very good chance of winning them.

Speaker 1 (01:29):
Okay, well that's at nine to eighteen PM and it's
followed directly at nine point thirty by Robbie Vanson and
Jordan Perry and they're in the double skulls men in
Final A as well. How about their chances.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
I think that they would be very very happy if
they could pick up a medal. I don't think they're
going to win. The Dutch Foo's been one of the standouts.
You know, they did get third in their semi finals,
so on paper you'd argue to say they're fifth or sixth,
But at the end of the day they're in a final.
Have people cook their goose trying to go but hard

(02:00):
to make it into you know, the finals. Who's pulled
up well after the racing, you know, a day ago,
so there's a lot of factors into place. But if
they win a medal, I'd be very very happy for them.
But on paper they're just going to be potentially off
the pace. But you know what, fingers crossed, anything can.

Speaker 1 (02:18):
Happen, all right, Tim Cox's four cruise women and men.
We've got the women going off at nine fifty of
the men going off at ten ten. Can either of
those crews do it?

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Absolutely? I think our men they've probably got our best
charts of winning a gold medal. They have shown themselves
throughout the season. They have been the fastest qualifier through
the heat. But obviously, you know we're now in finals racing.
Depending on the conditions with the cruise, are going to
be brave and go out and you know, literally throw

(02:48):
kitchen sink it trying to win. That'll be a wait
and see. But I think they're formed. They've been looking
very very good. They're getting coached by Emma Twiggs, coach
Mike Roger and so yeah, so basically they've got a
very good shot. Now a woman on the other side,
they're going to be fighting for the bronze. At the stage,

(03:10):
you know, they were second to the British. You know,
on the other side of the drawer, we've got very
good Dutch crew. So I think it's just about, you know,
if they can put together the race that they need
to right, and this is what happens at the Olympics, right,
You've got to put the race or the throw or
the jump out there.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
Eric, time is our enemy as it is in rowing.
I've got two more people to talk about. Emma Tweig
you mentioned her before, she's racing at seven thirty and
Tom mcintoss, our new singles skull Superstar, he's racing right after.
So both those athletes, how about their chances?

Speaker 2 (03:42):
Yeah, I think that they should skate through the semi
finals relatively unharmed. You know, this is a semi final.
I think that all they have to do is make
sure they get in the top three and then they
can worry about the final when it comes. Good Man,
it's basically all it. That's all I got to worry about.

Speaker 1 (03:59):
And you have you got Famo, do you feel do
you think you sit there and going, oh, look at
this this sort of like fan I wish I was there, come.

Speaker 2 (04:06):
On a little a little bit, But mate, I've been
I've been on the other side of the fence a
little bit now, but no what the only the only
folmer I've got is effected. The tad wouldn't open up
any odds on the rowing because I could have put my.

Speaker 1 (04:21):
You know what you need to do now that you're retired.
You need to go over and help me, he Drysdale
and tell dang a mate, you could be the deputy there.
You could be the deputy mare.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
He's lid down. I'm not into politics now, good boy.
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