Andrew Murtha made history in 1994 as a part of the short track team that claimed the nation's first ever Winter Olympic medal. He spoke to us about that historic moment and what he is looking forward to in PyeongChang.
What are your memories of winning bronze in Lillehammer? Is it something you reflect on more around a Winter Games?
I remember it was such an amazing feeling to win Australia's first Winter Olympic medal. The whole of the Australian contingent in the stands were going nuts, so much so, that some of the other teams looked around to see what all the ruckus was about. It meant so much more than just winning your own first personal medal and it was even more special to have won it as part of a great team that had been together for the previous four years. Most people here in Australia believed we may have been lucky, but the truth was we had been ranked in the top three or four countries for the relay and were arguably one of the best of those four in the 5,000m relay as we had the most consistent results of any of the top teams over those four years from 1990-1994. But, it does remind me of our achievement when the Olympics come around, Summer or Winter Games.
Outside of your own, what has been your favourite Winter Olympic moment by an Australian athlete over the years?
Obviously, Steven Bradbury’s gold in Salt Lake City in 2002. He was so humble in the circumstances that he won it. Not many people would have handled that situation so well.
But, I am proud of any medal we win at the Winter Olympics as it is so much harder for our country to be successful at Winter Games. This is the case due to the relatively small pool of athletes we have to select from and the facilities we have available to winter athletes compared to the Northern Hemisphere countries where most people grow up playing some form of winter sport and skiing and skating in particular are almost as much a part of everyday life as walking during their winters.
What are you most looking forward to for PyeongChang 2018?
I really enjoy watching virtually all of the Winter Olympic sports. Our athletes have diversified into many of the sports in the schedule, but I still enjoy watching Short Track the most.
Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au
