Rowing: Murray sad to see rivals go

New Zealand's Hamish Bond, left and Eric Murray in 2010. Photo / File

New Zealand's world champion rowing pair are taking nothing for granted with the London Olympics on the horizon, despite their nearest rivals fleeing to the four.

Eric Murray and Hamish Bond are the hottest of favourites to claim gold at August's Games, after Britain's Pete Reed and Andrew Triggs Hodge yesterday announced their switch.

The move confirmed months of speculation and came after a long, luckless quest to go quicker than the three-time world champion Kiwi pair.

Despite the white flag from their closest challengers, Murray denied he and Bond were given an extra boost as they seek their first Olympic medal.

"We've always trained as if anybody is a threat - and everybody is a threat," he said. "We've always trained to go as fast as we can possibly go, and we've never said they're the only other competition because everybody who is there is competition."

Switching disciplines this close to the Olympics can either be construed as cowardly or a massive sign of respect from Reed and Triggs Hodge.

Unsurprisingly, Murray chose the latter and said he would have probably preferred the Brits being in an adjacent lane come finals time.

"It's disappointing - we've had a great rivalry and I think the rivalry has been really good for world rowing. They've tried their hardest to get on top of us, and they've nearly done it on a couple of occasions.

"But, when we turn up on the start line, the only thing we can do is race whoever else is turning up there wanting to race."

Murray empathised with the decision of Reed and Triggs Hodge, pointing out the move could only be judged once the medals were handed out.

"We're all in this game to win gold medals. And, unfortunately for them, we've been quicker over the last couple of years and they've been playing second fiddle. I guess, if we were in the same situation, I'd probably be looking at somewhere else to go for a medal as well.

"In the whole scheme of things, they want to have their top two athletes actually winning. I think that's probably the main reason why they have shifted."

Murray and Bond completed another punishing day's training today - "there's no such thing as public holidays for athletes" - and there is no way the pair will lighten the load now their closest competitors have cast their sights elsewhere.

"Without them there, there's still going to be another five crews wanting to race and wanting to win," Murray explained. "You can't just say one crew is more dominant than another, because on different days different people can pull out different results.

"We can't influence in any way how well they're going - or even worry about them - so it's all about our preparation."

With preparation and form on their side, it is difficult to see how anything less than a disaster will prevent Murray and Bond claiming gold in London. But Murray elected to sound a warning rather than guarantee victory.

"That's the biggest thing with rowing - from year to year things chance, crews change. Every year things can be completely different. Going into London, we can only race who turns up on the day.

"If they're a good crew, they're going to try and beat us and give us a run for our money. So we have to make sure that we're better and we get across the line first."