FEATURE INTERVIEW: MICHAEL BRAKE
Michael Brake. Photos by Vera Búcsú @artofrowingnz
The Shore’s new golden guy!
By Heather Barker Vermeer
Many people on the North Shore, and throughout New Zealand, were shouting at their televisions as the Kiwi Men’s Eight team surged ahead in their Olympic rowing final. In the boat was Michael Brake. The former Westlake Boys’ High student and North Shore Rowing Club member shared his experience with Heather Barker Vermeer on his return home… What went through your mind as you sat on the start line in the final race? Be relaxed and smile! Adrenaline runs high before a race as the mind wanders easily to how much the following five minutes will hurt. Being tense for a race never helps. How do you sum up your feelings when you crossed the line and had won OLYMPIC GOLD? Overwhelming pride (and pain). Pride not just for the boys in my boat but for everyone that played a part and supported the journey. We had so many people supporting us to chase the Olympic Gold dream. To pull it off during such challenging times was quite emotional. What went through your mind as you listened to the national anthem on the podium? Being on the podium and listening to the national anthem while surrounded by mates was the most amazing feeling. Again, pride is the primary feeling, but it can also be quite an emotional moment as it sinks in that we have finally achieved everything that we have been training for. For me it had been eight years of training just for that moment! What was the reception like from your fellow Kiwi athletes? I'm not going to lie, this was probably one of my favorite moments... possibly more so than being on the podium. Being around some of New Zealand's best athletes is awesome. Seeing the pride in their eyes as they performed a haka for us... I'll remember that for life.
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Issue 124 - September-October 2021 www.channelmag.co.nz
