ERIC MURRAY
rivers of gold
Up before the crack of dawn, even in the middle of winter, Eric Murray has taken to his sport like a rower to water. Recently, JON RAWLINSON caught up with this world-renowned Olympian and one half of the famous ‘Kiwi Pair’. While most of us are well aware of laurels well earned by former Pukekohe High student, Eric Murray, he treasures the journey at least as much as the destination. “Actually, my biggest sporting highlight was probably playing golf with Steve Williams the other day,” he laughs. “Seriously, though, there’s nothing bigger to achieve than Olympic Gold, but it’s not the be all and end all. It’s not the actual [medal winning] race so much as looking back on the journey it took to get there.” Eric’s extraordinary run resulted in eight World Rowing Championships gold medals as well as two Olympic golds with his long-time crewmate, Hamish Bond – London (2012) and Rio (2016). “When you’re coming through there are plenty of things you tick off along the accomplishment route – the first time you make a rep’ team, selected into the team, first at world champs, first medal, it’s all a part of the journey.”
Eric Murray, World Rowing Cup, igour.nz Poznan 2016. Photo Steve McArthur, www.v
16 | south | june 2021
Most recently, Eric and Hamish were named Team of the Decade (for the 2010s) at the 2021 Halberg Awards; adding to five Halbergs (two Supreme and three Team of the
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