Rowing: Memories of Sydney keep twins focused

By DAVID LEGGAT

If ever Caroline and Georgina Evers-Swindell get a feeling that an Olympic gold medal is theirs for the taking, they need only think of one word: Sydney.

Most astute judges, including their coach Dick Tonks, reckon the Hamilton twins are the warmest of favourites to follow up back-to-back world championship titles in the double scull at Athens.

Their results, plus their form on the European leadup campaign, plus the fact they have not been beaten in a critical race in their specialist event in three years, demand favouritism for the final on the Schinias Olympic course on August 21. But sitting like a burr in the back of their minds is their experience in attempting to qualify for the Sydney Olympics four years ago.

The twins missed a place in the Games when they were squeezed out in the final qualifying regatta in Lucerne. The memory has stuck firm.

"They went through that disappointment in 2000 so that's always at the back of their minds," Tonks said.

Both twins talk about the advantage their rivals have of actually experiencing an Olympics. They are level-headed, but if they need a hand to keep a sense of perspective as Athens approaches, Sydney helps them get it down pat.

Since arriving in Europe, they have raced two World Cup regattas. They blew away a moderate field at Munich shortly after their arrival, and then beat a classier field in Lucerne a few weeks later.

Now they are based in Hazewinkel in Belgium with the remainder of the New Zealand squad before heading to Athens around August 8. It's familiar territory. The twins have been there every year since the late 1990s. They've learned ways to pass the time.

"A few years ago I was struggling to fill the days in and wishing I didn't have a day off and could just row every day," Caroline said.

This time they have their books and bikes, they know the local village and are practised at preparing themselves to peak for the big event.

Caroline admitted that rather than feeling chuffed at having hit the ground running in Munich, they were suspicious of what they had achieved.

"We didn't race the top German combination, and a couple of other crews were not there, so we thought maybe they were holding something back. We went really hard in training for the next couple of weeks, expecting things to be a lot more competitive in Lucerne.

"We managed to win by a couple of seconds but it was a tough race."

Training has been broken up with racing against other crews, and the occasional diversion to add fresh interest, such as six 500m bursts against two-time world K1 500m canoeing champion Nathan Baggaley of Australia this week.

The twins had squared off against New Zealand's K2 pair Ben Fouhy and Steven Ferguson back home so seeing plenty of water splashed about no big surprise.

"Richard always manages to find people who'll give us a bit of a kick start. It was neat. There's a lot of noise when they start, a lot of water flying and it's pretty noisy," Caroline said.


Georgina is in the bow, but as for who's the boss on the water ...

"It's shared," Georgina said. "We both do [act as boss] at different times without knowing it. Perhaps one won't be quiet and sometimes it can annoy the other one a bit, but over the years we've got to know each other and know when to turn off and to ignore it."

The 25-year-old twins talk of the high standards they expect of themselves.

"We know what we have to do. We're very fortunate to be in a position of having crossed the line first a couple of times now. We know what it took to get there and want to get that feeling again," Georgina added.

Tonks, a silver medallist in the coxless four at Munich in 1972, goes against the grain of standard rowing philosophy where you don't count your chickens too early. Allowing for good health, good conditions and a continuation of the strong leadup, he can't see the twins being beaten in Athens.

"At present they have got to go in as favourites - but they're working pretty hard for favourites."


As for the sisters, they talk processes rather than end products. "We don't like to talk about gold medals or who's going to be standing on the podium," Georgina said.

"For Caro and me, it's all about if we've done everything we've planned, then hopefully that sets us up for a good finish."

The story so far

2000: Narrowly missed Sydney Olympic selection

2001: Silver medal at world championships, Lucerne

2002: Gold at world championships, Seville

2003: Gold at world championships, Milan

2004: Won Munich and Lucerne World Cup regattas