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Cyclist Anna Meares revealed Wednesday that tips from Australia’s rugby World Cup winning skipper John Eales helped power her to victory over British favourite Victoria Pendleton.
Meares faced down Pendleton, and the majority of the 6,000-strong crowd inside the velodrome, to win a tense women’s sprint, relying on a motivational speech by Eales, who skippered the Wallabies to the 1999 World Cup.
In a speech at an Australian training camp in Italy in the run-up to the Games, Eales told her how the Wallabies had worn track suits during the traditional pre-match performance of the haka by the All Blacks.
The aim was to give them the chance to get into a huddle, remove their track suits and regain their composure.
Meares used a similar strategy at the London velodrome, letting Pendleton go to the start line first so that she could mentally prepare while the chanting home crowd quietened for the start.
“Let her go up onto the start line first, let the crowd cheer, stay on the duck board, give myself some extra time for the crowd to settle and then take myself up and into the race,” Meares told reporters about what Eales told her.
Meanwhile, fellow gold medallist Sally Pearson admitted Wednesday that she felt the pressure to rescue Australia’s flagging Olympics campaign when she lined up for her 100m hurdles triumph.
Pearson clinched gold in 12.35sec on Tuesday night to win her country’s first track and field gold of the Games.
It was only Australia’s fourth gold in London.
“The whole team felt the pressure,” said Pearson.
“But as an athlete and one of the favourites to win you try and put yourself in a little bubble and not get distracted by things like that.
“I think our Australian team have been doing fantastic. There is nothing wrong with silver and bronze but to be able to win gold for our country is something really special.”
Pearson’s time was an Olympic record and edged Beijing American gold medallist Dawn Harper, who timed a personal best of 12.37sec.
The reigning world champion has been based in Britain for the last six weeks to escape the pressure in Australia.
“I have been wanting that gold medal since watching Cathy Freeman win (the 400m) in 2000 in Sydney,” she said. “It’s been a 12-year dream that has finally come true.”