Olympics 2024: Gold medallists Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors on the challenges they faced
New Zealand’s newest Olympic champions paid tribute to their families and talked about their recent journey as mums after grabbing gold in the women’s double sculls in Paris.
Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors beat reigning Olympic champions Romania by just 0.24 seconds.
Speaking to Sky TV after the medal ceremony Francis said: “It’s definitely no secret that it hasn’t been easy.
“For me, I think about my friends who are mothers as well and what they go through every day – and . I’ve got so much more respect for my mum now and watching all mums and parents do what they do is special.”
The pair started racing together last year when they were both new mums. Spoors son Rupert and Francis’ daughter Keira – both under the age of two – are in Paris with family supporting the rowers.
Spoors and Francis are New Zealand’s first elite female rowers to return to the top level of the sport having kids.
Spoors said they both “felt so supported”.
“We want to thank everyone from home and everyone who has been cheering for us and cheering for the mums.
