To some people a year is a long time and the London Olympics seem far away. But for many athletes who train and compete in 6-8 week blocks, there are not many cycles left until their final qualification events. In a blink, it is July 2012.

For Natalie Cook and Tamsin Hinchley (nee Barnett) it is now or never. They are currently in at the Mazury Orlen Grand Slam in Poland in the midst of playing five Tour events in five countries over six weeks. It is their desperate attempt to get their London 2012 campaign on track.

The Beijing Olympic partners struggled to gain consistency on the World Tour when they split and teamed up with less experienced partners Tara West and Alice Rohkamper. Neither pair looked assured of automatic qualification for London 2012 and at July’s World Championships in Rome, neither partnership won a single round-robin match. As crucial qualification points went out to their rivals, drastic changes were needed to get the London dream back on track.

So Cook and Hinchley who went agonisingly close to a medal together at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 made the tough decision to reform. Nat and Tamsin 2.0 was born!

“I knew that if I was to have the best chance at winning a medal in London 2012 Tamsin and I needed to team up as soon as possible,” Cook said.

“When you put your hand up to say ‘I want to win another gold at the Olympics’, there is an enormous commitment required behind it to do whatever it takes. So the change was essential for the dream of five Olympics and another medal to become a reality.

“Time was running out and with the qualification process so challenging physically, mentally and emotionally, we needed to have the best support around us. The best time to make the change was post Italy (World Championships).”

It is clear that the Cook/ Hinchley pair is in-synch on and off the sand. Before re-joining, Hinchley was living at the AIS in Adelaide training with Alice Rohkhamper. Despite the fair results, the lifestyle meant Hinchley had to travel back to Melbourne to be with her young son Arley and husband Al.

“It was a tough call to make for many reasons. Alice and I were getting some good results and she is a great player and a great girl. But this is my last shot at an Olympic medal and I needed to make the decision that was going to mean the best chance of getting to London and winning a medal,” Hinchley said.

“Being away from Arley and Al, and all the challenges it places on our family meant I had to ensure I was taking the best path. I know this is the right decision and I’m sure we can get back to being a top team in the world. We are both very determined.”

Having won bronze at Atlanta 1996, gold at Sydney 2000, placed 4th at Athens 2004 and 5th in 2008, Cook is qualified to make the tough decisions but it doesn’t make them any easier.

“It was difficult, because (former partner) Tara West had put her life on hold for 6-18 months to give it a shot. So for her to have to go home was tough. However sport is not fair. If it was, we would all have gold medals. So when push comes to shove and timelines narrow I had to make the best decision for me,” Cook explained.

“Tamsin and I went through the process to qualify for Beijing, and we know what it takes. We have experienced the pressure, so we are now in a much better position to tackle the challenge head on. It was Tara and Alice’s first time on the tour for an extended period,” Cook said.

The move has had an immediate impact. In their first World Tour event together since pre-Beijing, Cook/Hinchley defeated the third-seeded Brazilians and finished the tournament in Quebec City, Canada last weekend in fifth place. The qualification points they achieved in one tournament was equivalent to what they had managed in numerous other events in 2011.

One thing is for certain, no team in the world will want to see themselves drawn against the Australian pair at any stage of a Tournament.


So what are the expectations?

“We have very high standards and know that if we can play to them we will be tough to beat. So this is the goal: to play winning volleyball. The rest will take care of itself. There is a lot to it of course, but like any professional sport, that would take us years to explain… And some things words can’t explain,” Cook said.

“Our goals are to finish in the top 10 on average and a medal or two here and there would be great. We always take the sand to win!“

If the next few weeks don’t go to plan then there is a new Continental Cup route to London 2012 but that is long and dangerous. A top 16 ranking is their goal.
At the moment the number one Australian women’s pair is the exciting Louise Bawden and Becchara Palmer who are inside the crucial top 16.

It has been a rollercoaster few years for Cook and Hinchley. Time is very tight and the pressure is on but the fairytale ending is possible.

The desire for Hinchley has never been greater with her ‘two men’ cheering her on. She has returned stronger than ever after having a baby.

Cook, 36, has also made huge personal, financial and business sacrifices for a fifth campaign. She is chasing a third Olympic medal and wants to be the first Australian women to compete at five Summer Games. Her desire burns as strong as ever.

“I love the atmosphere, the values, the competition and the challenge of the Olympic Games. I love all things Olympic. I am doing everything I can, mentally, physically, emotionally and financially to make it. Reuniting with Tamsin makes it a lot closer to achieving now. Our game is just so strong and solid now after our time apart we realized a few things about each other and ourselves that will make the next 12 months a great ride.”

To keep track of Tamsin and Nat's journey to the Games, follow Tamsin's Athlete Diary

Andrew Reid
AOC