One further thought: Hamish Bond might have some very interesting insights into Cycling NZ's culture & organisation. I didn't think he was treated as well as he should have been, although it could be that he just simply was happier rowing - understandable really given he finished up with another gold medal.
I had a very restless night's sleep after reading Tom Dillane's story about Olivia Podmore. Right from when news of her death broke the story has unsettled me. The more that emerges, the worse it gets.
One reason it's uncomfortable for me as an active club track cyclist as I find myself wondering how something which is so much fun can be so rotten at the top. Then there's the sheer wastefulness of a promising life lost & the grief of those left behind.
You are right to say the whole culture needs to change not just at Cycling New Zealand but also at High Performance Sport. Podmore went to the Rio Olympics aged 19 which is remarkable. The Dillane article has a photo of Podmore just after her win at the Cambridge World Cup meet in December 2019 - I was there and it certainly was a magic moment. Yet somehow she isn't selected for Tokyo - against the background of reasonable performance in my mind that should have had someone at High Performance asking for a please explain (maybe even the NZOC should also have been asking).
It's clear that there wasn't a lot of support around young riders, and that is probably also true of other sports, so maybe Grant Robertson both as Minister of Sport & as Minister of Finance & the person signing the cheques should be asking questions.
In the meantime well done Tom Dillane for some excellent reporting and thank you for keeping it in the forefront of the news. It's the least Olivia Podmore and her family deserve.
One further thought: Hamish Bond might have some very interesting insights into Cycling NZ's culture & organisation. I didn't think he was treated as well as he should have been, although it could be that he just simply was happier rowing - understandable really given he finished up with another gold medal.
I had a very restless night's sleep after reading Tom Dillane's story about Olivia Podmore. Right from when news of her death broke the story has unsettled me. The more that emerges, the worse it gets.
One reason it's uncomfortable for me as an active club track cyclist as I find myself wondering how something which is so much fun can be so rotten at the top. Then there's the sheer wastefulness of a promising life lost & the grief of those left behind.
You are right to say the whole culture needs to change not just at Cycling New Zealand but also at High Performance Sport. Podmore went to the Rio Olympics aged 19 which is remarkable. The Dillane article has a photo of Podmore just after her win at the Cambridge World Cup meet in December 2019 - I was there and it certainly was a magic moment. Yet somehow she isn't selected for Tokyo - against the background of reasonable performance in my mind that should have had someone at High Performance asking for a please explain (maybe even the NZOC should also have been asking).
It's clear that there wasn't a lot of support around young riders, and that is probably also true of other sports, so maybe Grant Robertson both as Minister of Sport & as Minister of Finance & the person signing the cheques should be asking questions.
In the meantime well done Tom Dillane for some excellent reporting and thank you for keeping it in the forefront of the news. It's the least Olivia Podmore and her family deserve.