HeroeSoFTHe PAST
Mike McKay wins gold in the
men’s eight at the 1986 World
Rowing Championships in
Nottingham, Great Britain.
©Peter Spurrier/Intersport-Images
© Peter Spurrier/Intersport-Images
7
Mike McKay ( 4 seat) wins gold
in the men’s eight at the 1986
World Rowing Championships
in Nottingham, Great Britain.
life.“ Throughout his sporting career, McKay
studied for a degree in physical education and
an MBA while also pursuing a professional
career. When asked how he combined all
three, he credits good time management:
”You become much more efficient in your
use of time and just do it.“
were not coming, despite “crazy training
sessions, 3 to 4 hours long. Then, the real
turning point came. Mike got us to embark
on something really innovative and we set
up a kind of business plan for the crew, which
helped us set out our mission and clear
boundaries.“
The variety not only gave his life balance,
but also improved performance - his own
and that of his teammates. Perhaps the best
illustration can be found in the Oarsome
Foursome. As Donaldson pointed out, results
One thing in McKay’s view that distinguishes
rowing from most sports is its sense of
camaraderie: ”A lot of other sports are
individual. In rowing, you learn a lot about
people. You’re successful if you work with
good people. Put it nicely - don’t involve
yourself with idiots.“ McKay explains how
teamwork is central to elite rowing; without
it he wouldn’t have won a single medal:
”Medals are a sense of team achievement.
All of them are fantastic. You get attracted
to people you like rowing with. I was rowing
with people I wanted to row with and didn’t
have to row with people I didn’t want to row
with. In Sydney 2000, we had such diverse
backgrounds, we all had an influence. We
were a fantastic crew. That real team spirit
was something that came out of it.“
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