A long-held dream to compete at an Olympics was realised for Hannah in 2004 after she missed out on qualifying for Sydney in 2000.
For the past seven years, her experiences as an Olympic and Commonwealth Games swimmer have helped shape her career journey and passion for supporting our athletes of today and the future.
HPSNZ
Tell us about your Olympic experiences.
Hannah
I dreamt of going to an Olympic Games since I was 10 years old. My coach gave 10-year-old me a Sydney 2000 pen and told me he thought I could get there. It wasn’t to be Sydney when, as a 19 year old, I missed the qualifying time by 0.17 of a second. I was devastated but it lit the fire to make it happen for Athens 2004.
I was completely absorbed by my mission to get to Athens. I even had a photo of the Olympic pool next to my bed to help me visualise each night.
There was a team of 10 swimmers who qualified for Athens and we all trained together at the then only two years old Millennium Institute. It was pretty special to be part of such a large group of Olympic swimmers all training together in New Zealand, something that has not happened since.
Athens ran out of money to put a roof on the pool which caused real problems for backstrokers – it meant we were staring into the blinding sunlight, something we were not used to. I had a real shocker in my favoured event, the 100m backstroke, crashing into the lane ropes several times. It took a real rebuild job with my coach to get back into a good mental space for the 200m. I swam a PB and just missed the final coming 9th in the semis. I was happy with the time and result as well as what I had learned from the experience.
HPSNZ
Of all the experiences, what was the most memorable one?
Hannah
Having my family there to share both the pain and joy is an amazing memory. Also being part of the New Zealand team and its unique culture was a real privilege. From being welcomed into the village, receiving our pounamu and getting to support our fellow Kiwis in other sports were all very special.
Another special memory relates to my uni studies at the time. I was doing classical studies so the opportunity to go to the birthplace of the Games was another level of inspiration. We had a camp on the Greek island of Kefalonia in the lead up to the Games and we arrived in the Olympic Village tanned and ready to go.
HPSNZ
Given what you know now, what, if anything, would you have done differently in your Olympic campaign?
Hannah
Well I broke my foot while out dancing after the qualifying trials and spent two weeks in a cast and six weeks with no kicking. Not ideal for my build up and something I’d not do again!
More generally the biggest difference would be putting less pressure on myself and having more perspective. Also, I think having a first Games to get all those unknowns and firsts out of your system is ideal. As it turned out I didn’t go on to swim at another Games, instead choosing to explore life after sport.
HPSNZ
How different do you think the Olympic experience is today from when you competed?
Hannah
Athletes today have different pressures, largely because of social media and the expectations to have a presence and a brand in that space. It does, however, provide athletes with a platform and a voice if used wisely which is a good thing.
The level of support through HPSNZ and the collaboration with NZOC and PNZ to create the best possible experience for athletes, coaches and support team members has increased massively from 20 years ago.
HPSNZ
How does your experience as an Olympic athlete contribute and help you in your current role with HPSNZ?
Hannah
I’ve been with HPSNZ for seven years, firstly as an Athlete Life Advisor and now as a Performance Life Coach and lead of the Prime Minister’s Scholarship internship programme.
Having lived experience as an Olympic athlete helps me help our athletes and understand the challenges they are facing on their high performance journey. It provides me with a perspective of being on the other side.
I love my job and feel incredibly lucky to work with athletes who are highly motivated and colleagues who are so passionate and expert in their fields.
HPSNZ
If you were to give a current Olympic or Paralympic athlete one piece of advice for their Paris 2024 campaign, what would it be?
Hannah
Know what you need to be at your best, execute your plan, enjoy the moments and remember you are more than your performance.
