Audio of US women's eight press conference
Text transcript:
Journalist: With the eight and four boat especially, you guys talked with some of the people and did it cluster in the race?
Mary Whipple: Yes, before we left Princeton, we gathered together at my house and we watched the race and it was really inspiring to see those women be so cool when it was neck and neck. And then just pulling through at the last bit and that's what we kind of envisioned. And during the first part of the race where we just wanted to think about us and take control of what we could do. Made a call for the 1984 girls and we just got to do them proud and starting motoring to the finish line.
Caroline Lind: I actually talked to Kris in the 1984 eight and she's a friend, I talked to her before I left Princeton and it was great to hear her be so supportive us and we just had to step up to the challenge. And we did. I couldn't ask for anything better of eight other girls, they're amazing. We're really proud to be in the same league as those amazing women.
Moderator: Next question:
Journalist: If I could ask two, one for the coach. What was it about this group of women that allowed them to do this heat? The other is for Anna Lind, Maine's not a very good rowing state and do you think this is going to change that?
Tom Terhaar: They're strong, really strong. But they were able to focus on what they needed to do, very professional, probably the most professional group I've ever worked with. No Fear. These guys were ready. They came down smiling to the boathouse, which was a good sign. So it's definitely a good group.
Anna Goodale: I hope that all the work we put in inspires a lot of people, not only in Maine, but throughout the country and it's been an incredible journey and to realize and have your dreams come true is an amazing feeling and it talkes a lot of hard work and some amazing support. But if you do it together, you can do it. So I hope to bring, yeah, a lot of rowing to Maine.
Moderator: Next question, this gentleman.
Journalist: What would you say the difference was this boat, with this crew compared to Athens?
Mary Whipple: We learned a lot from Athens, I think the group from before laid this really strong foundation for the team sense. And all these women who came in after Athens, they took that team aspect and we took it to another level. And we had twelve to fourteen women to produce this eight and we couldn't have done it without our spares coming in like Brett Sickler, Leanne Marcos, and Rachel Jeffers. Every time Anna would be in her pair we would have people fill in for that seat. So it was definitely a group team effort to produce this gold medal. And like Tom said, we just came out here smiling and we just wanted to hunt the line. We were the hunter today and we just let that hunter go for the line.
Audio of Caroline Lind, USA W8+
Text transcript:
Caroline Lind: Amazing women, eight amazing women and I love them all and we did it together. We really achieved something that we've been working for so long.
Interviewer: Did you get a good start today?
Caroline Lind: Yeah, we had an ezcellent start, Caryn laid down an amazing rhythm and we just back dropped that's all we could ask for is to back her up. She's just an amazing rower.
Interviewer: Were you in doubt at any point?
Caroline Lind: There's always some uncertainty when you're going into a race, but I, like I said, I believed in these women. And we've worked too hard not to make our goals come to reality.
Caroline Lind: Thank you, I'm Caroline Lind, thank you. Hi.....
Male Voice: Caroline, come this way.
Audio of Susan Francia, USA W8+
Text transcript:
Susan Francia: Yeah, so I've had a lot of support, so it was great. Ok you're welcome.
row2k: Hey
Susan Francia: Hello.
row2k: So when did you think about, when did you think
Susan Francia: Um, I think we got it, got control after the first stroke. It was a flawless, flawless race. We thought it over so many times.......
Announcer: Hey everybody we gotta go for the medal ceremony.
Susan Francia: from stroke one, we were, we knew wherever we were, we were in control.
Audio of Caryn Davies, USA W8+
Text transcript:
Caryn Davies: We also got a personal message from them just wishing us luck and then at the 1000, Mary said this is for the women from 1984, we're just gonna take it to the line and we did.
Interviewer: What kind of personal message did you get from them?
Caryn Davies: They gave us one.
Interviewer: Like a note or a...
Caryn Davies: You know I can't even remember, it was just kind of through our coach, I mean it was just like good luck Caryn
Interviewer: Was that today or...
Caryn Davies: Before we left.
Interviewer: Was there a point in this race where you thought, ok we have this race?
Caryn Davies: There was never a point where I thought we had it, there was a point where I thought, hey, we could win this. I mean we believed all along we could win this , but when I thought you know I think we are winning this was 750 to go. And from there I was just like we can take it home.
Interviewer: What was that moment like when you thought ok?
Caryn Davies: Honestly, it made me nervous, so I stopped thinking about it. I was like, hey we could win, then, oh no I'm just gonna focus on this stroke right here.
Interviewer: It seems like you knew that probably a 100 meters to go that you were going to catch them.. What was that feeling like then?
Caryn Davies: Hey, I never got that feeling.
Interviewer: Never?
Caryn Davies: I wasn't sure I was going to make it through the last ten strokes, I was just trying not to catch a draft.
Interviewer: Did this go to plan at all, go for the front?
Caryn Davies: Well, our plan, we were ready for anything coming from behind we knew from the start, so our plan was to win, so yeah it went to plan.
Interviewer: Of the last two specific plan, one with the group and......
Caryn Davies: A little different, we just tried to establish the rhythm and get control of the race from the start. Um, last year we had a bit of a tough time in the heat so that was just more of a way to ground ourselves. This year we just need to go....
Interviewer: How was this long week with eight days wait?
Caryn Davies: I love it, I love every minute of the Olympics. I love watching it on TV, I love swimming and gymnastics, everything.
Audio of men's eight press conference
Text transcript:
Moderator: Sprint racing
Male Voice: Oh no, that's Kyle
Journalist: Kyle, uh Kyle you talked about Athens that day, being the worst day of your life. Brian, I know you talked about that being sort of a burden that it was four years ago. Just describe how today sort of reconciles that, changes it, makes you think differently now or lifts whatever burden there kind of existed.
Kyle Hamilton: For me it's not, not all reconciling, it's just about winning and you know winning the gold medal. It's..I'm speechless. Um, I can very well say that it's the happiest day of my life. I've gotten married since Athens, but I'm not stupid so (laughter)but this is a close second. And just coming out on top is amazing.
Brian Price: For me, I mean there's a couple of guys sitting over here in the US boat that beat us that day and that doesn't change the fact that they won the medal four years ago and you know today was our day. And that race certainly sat in my head and my mind for a long time. But uh, today certainly, it played out the way that we wanted to play out. I think that we worked very hard, the five of us back from the Athens boat and worked very, very hard over the past four years to make sure that didn't happen ever again and I think today proved that.
Moderator: Ok, last question.
Moderator: Any Questions?
Journalist: Brian, can you tell us about the call again, what you were saying to the guys at the end there?
Brian Price: Well, I mean at the end I put my arms up in the air, cause I like couldn't help but to do that but I didn't want them to stop rowing, cause Kevin, Kyle and Kreek and Dom could see me doing that. We didn't want them to think that we had already crossed the line and so I kept calling for more power, more power and they just kept delivering it and I just put my arms in the air.
Adam Kreek: You said five more strokes to the Olympic gold, those are the happiest five strokes in the whole race.
Moderator: Any Question?
Journalist: You're one of the five guys from Athens, how do you feel about that production and gold that everybody seems to be writing about?
Bryan Volpenhein: Uh, well I'd be lying if I said that race didn't feel the next four years. But as well, I mean it's great to do this on the Olympic stage, but it's day in and day out being with your teammates and trying to better yourself and that's really what it's about, getting as best you can out of yourself for each day and today we happened to uh, execute our race plan pretty much perfectly.
Moderator: Ok, last question. This is the last.
Journalist: For any member of the US team, let's talk about the way you rallied. You guys were in last at one stretch and come back and get the bronze, what were you thinking when you.....did you even know you were in last and lets talk about the way you came back?
Bryan Volpenhein: Uh, well...yeah we were pretty far down in the first 500 and uh, to be honest I wasn't really focused on where we were, as sort of what we had to do and what our goal was going into that race. We had kind of a bad heat and we went out really hard in the first 500, had the lead and then we just got killed in the middle 1000. So our goal, leading into this race was to be as fast as we could, so into that middle 1000, and then build to the finish line. And try to get our nose out, you know into the medal position and so I think we executed that was fine and I think we got dropped a little bit too much at the start. We weren't sort of too worried about it, I think we were sort of focused on our race plan and tried to execute that.
Moderator: Ok, this gentleman.
Journalist: Back to the British crew, What was your sense of that race? It was a real battle between you and the States, how do you get back on terms with Canada? Just give us a little feel of what it was like in that boat.
Matt Langridge: Um, well I think when we went out we were really said what we had to do was stick to our own race plan and we knew that the Canadians were gonna be strong, but equally we knew that we were gonna get attacked from all angles. What we really tried to do was really stick to our plan and race our race. In that sense, I mean, it's only race where we can, race for the line. I didn't personally know how the America would decide, all I knew was that the finish line was coming and we had to get there as quickly as possible. I think we did execute what we set out to and we did slip early on, but we did what we had to do.
Moderator: Any Question? Ok, this gentleman.
Journalist: Um, I don't know how to ask this question, It's probably easier to ask who's going to keep rowing? I know who has plans in September, but who's going to be here in London in four years?
Adam Kreek: No promises, but Burns and Malcolm are going to carry the flag forward they're all young guys. The press needs to know that these guys are going to be monsters in the next Olympics. One day, here they come.
Moderator: Ok, any questions?
Journalist: How do you guys celebrate this? I mean, how do you do it justice?
Adam Kreek: I hear that there's this place called Fun Club. I hadn't really thought past this moment, and the Olympics is something I've left early after racing the last two Olympics and I think for all of us, we're going to stay until the closing ceremonies and soak in, soak in what Beijing has to offer. This is such a special moment to savor for as long as it lasts.
Adam Kreek: We're gonna stay in this moment and just be here right now. It's like { } says in his book, he's such an awesome man.
Moderator: Last question?
Journalist: Steve Coppola of the US, first talked about this being a young team and the prospects of being the youngest guy in the boat, what do you this being something to build on in the future?
Steve Coppola: I think it's a great opportunity to build on. I think we've got some guys who are coming up, we've got some guys who are gonna stick around. I think the next four years will be pretty exciting. Go Sabers!
Moderator: Ok, last question, this lady.
Journalist: Sorry, can a couple of the Canadians, I don't know, maybe Jake, just try and describe the mixed emotions you must be feeling. It must be so f@%&ing excellent, can you try and explain it?
Jake Wetzel: Well, let me just put it this way, I think maybe comment on what its like to come...to be bitterly disappointed from the last Olympics I was very disappointed to be so close to winning a gold medal. There's no comparison between close silver and becoming Olympic Champion. And this is just indescribable moment, which I've been waiting my whole life for.
Journalist: How about your bitterness?
Adam Kreek: Well, I'm not a really bitter person, but I can say I've got a lot of love for these eight guys around me and Coach Mike Spracklen. We're a band of brothers and Mike's our grandfather and it's absolutely incredible. We're having the best time and we've bonded over the last eight years. That it's absolutely an incredible experience and we'll have this for the rest of our life.
Moderator: May we have the last question. Ok, this gentleman,
Journalist: Mike can you explain, describe the feeling from Athens to here? And what you feel today of what you've gone through the last four years?
Mike Spracklen: Well of course, Athens was a bitter disappointment when your going to a race with expectations and then to fail those expectations, it is bitterly disappointing. When you go into an event hoping for success and then it's very different from going in expecting it. We went into Athens expecting success and the difference is enormous when you win an Olympic gold medal, particularly in the major events, the ribbon event, it's exciting. I'm very proud to be part of these guys, although I did say at the beginning of the winter that if a coach can't win with these guys, he shouldn't be coaching.
Moderator: Ok, it's the end of this press conference, thank you for coming.
Audio of Canadian lightweight women's double
Text transcript:
Journalist: What were you thinking going into it?
Tracy Cameron: Well, we were hoping the scales would tip in our favor.
Journalist: What did you think about the result? Did you think you think you had it?
Melanie Kok: I thought we had it when I looked over and could see our bow was definitely in front of the Germans, it was just making sure the judges were with us, but yeah I probably I'd nailed it.
Journalist: You know it was four one hundredths of a second, that was the difference.
Melanie Kok: That was pretty close over 2k.
Journalist: Then you were pretty clear about you guys getting the bronze?
Melanie Kok: I could just see that we, that the glide of the boat went out in front of them, so I thought we did surge.
Journalist: You guys seem ecstatic with the results, is that fair?
Tracy Cameron: I mean, after our first races, we had a tendency of sort of getting caught in the last 500, so we made it our mission to really execute that last 500 and lay it all down on the line. And I think we did that. It was a really tight result and you know, and all respects to Finland and Netherlands, they put together a great race and we're just really pleased to share it with them today.
Journalist: Did you guys feel the first two races; are you talking about of the season?
Melanie Kok: Of the Semi final. The heat and semi final.
Journalist: Do you guys feel the momentum in this Canadian, I know you're still out there and just got off the water, but do you go from zero to five pretty quickly?
Melanie Kok: No, and it certainly helped that we watched Bryan Cochran this morning bring home the bronze. So we were pretty pumped for him and we thought, yeah, let's just keep this momentum, keep it going. That's a great word, momentum.
Tracy Cameron: I think we knew all the time that the first half of this week, there weren't that many Canadians competing in events and we knew that there were like…what do we have, like 5 finals in two days of rowing itself. So, there were no chances to win medals early in the week for us. I'm just glad we're putting some up on the board for Canada.
Journalist: More to come maybe?
Tracy Cameron: Let's hope so.
Melanie Kok: Yeah!
Journalist: Can you guys walk us through your race and how saw a good start and then from there what happened?
Melanie Kok: I think really, we seemed really efficient and effective through the middle 1000, we had a fairly decent start. You know we were with the pack and maybe even leading at that point, I'm not really sure. But through the middle it felt very efficient and effective and we were always one within a group. I think we knew it was going to come down to the last 500 and it was who dug that millimeter more, dug a little deeper.
Journalist: Can you talk about during, you guys this is your first time together and how you've bonded and been able to pull this off?
Melanie Kok: You know what, it's a dream team. I've said to Al and Mel both, we've thoroughly enjoyed working with each other and honestly we've had a lot of really fun trips this year starting in Florida and continuing through the European tour and it was really fun. No matter where we were we just had a lot of fun with it.
Journalist: Thank you.
Audio of Canadian lightweight men's four
Text transcript:
Interviewer: It was about 1500 and you start to fall out of third and their passing ya and stuff and you guys the momentum was like blah very quickly, you took control of it.
Mike Lewis: Yeah, we just drove it up on that one stroke with 500 to go and just tried to hang off of him. He's got a killer sprint, so he unleashed it today, so it's pretty easy to follow him til the last 10-15 strokes.
Liam Parsons: I went and they followed, it was good so, uh
Interviewer: How satisfying is that when you are exhausted sitting in that boat, cause you can be just as exhausted being fourth?
Mike Lewis: We've been fourth.
Interviewer: So how is that good exhausted verses the bad exhausted?
Mike Lewis: It feels like we won.
Liam Parsons: Yeah, I mean it feels like your succeeding rather than failing. I mean in order to get into the final, you have to be....Um, I'm too tired to talk... you have to be capable of being a medalist just to get into this final and so you know, if you go and commit everything and end up on the podium, that's what we're hoping for. Am I making any sense so far?
Interviewer: Ha, ha, ha. It doesn't really matter.
Mike Lewis: No, it doesn't.
Interviewer: Thanks guys.
Mike and Liam: Thanks guys.
Comments | Log in to comment |
There are no Comments yet
|
row2k's Olympics coverage is brought to you by:
row2k's Olympics coverage is brought to you by: