Hamish Kerr: The Journey to Becoming an Olympic Champion

Hamish Kerr was a guest on the podcast three years ago. Back then he had just won a commonwealth games gold medal and the podcast was still called “Runners Only.”

A lot has happened since then. Hamish Kerr is now the undisputed best high jumper on the planet- you name it, he has won it.

In this episode, Hamish opens up about the Paris Olympics- why he was in tears on the track in the packed stadium before going on to win gold.

How life has changed since becoming the best in the world,.

How he overcame self-doubt and pressure.

And why he thinks he can still be better.

This episode goes beyond sport. It’s a deeply human look at the mindset of one of New Zealand’s most successful athletes.

Strap yourself in. This episode is one hell of a ride!

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Massive thanks to my long-term podcast sponsors, Generate.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 – Welcome back, Hamish Kerr 02:30 – Life since his first podcast appearance 05:00 – Becoming Olympic and World Champion 09:30 – The physical toll of jumping 2.36m+ 14:00 – The coaching switch: from Terry to Jimmy 19:00 – Coaching dynamics when your coach is your mate 21:00 – Family, childhood and early influences 27:00 – Growing up sporty and discovering high jump 31:00 – Giving it away at university, rediscovering the passion 35:00 – Making a living from high jump 38:00 – Partner Maddie Wilson and life as a sporting couple 42:00 – Pre-competition mindset and mental skills training 49:00 – Struggling with identity and guilt around success 56:00 – Training load, recovery and monotony 59:00 – Rock bottom: failing at the 2023 World Champs 1:05:00 – Paris Olympics: qualifying disaster 1:18:00 – The turning point — tears, fear, and redemption 1:26:00 – The Olympic final and winning gold 1:39:00 – Choosing not to share the gold 1:46:00 – The victory lap and iconic meme moment 1:52:00 – Life after gold: fame, perspective and what’s next

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Who should be on the podcast next? Message Dom Instagram: @domharveynz Email: [email protected]

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