Five Minutes With Nicole Bradley

June 6, 2019
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The Auckland-based five-time New Zealand hammer champion offers her take on our distinctive Five Minutes With questions.

What is your best athletics quality?

I think my best athletics quality would be my passion for the hammer throw. I really like athletics as a sport and I think you need to love what you do to be the best at it.

Why would you encourage anyone to try athletics?

Athletics is great because there are so many different disciplines to try. When I was eight years old I started as a sprinter before eventually becoming a hammer thrower. You never know which discipline you might be best suited to.

Who was your first coach and how did they influence your career?

My first ever coach was Malcolm Giles. He was the person who introduced me to hammer throw when I was 13/14 years old in Dunedin.

What are your athletics weaknesses?

My mental game is something that I constantly have to work on. I go through periods of stress and need to really knuckle down in order to conquer those bad thoughts.

What is the funniest things you’ve seen on an athletics track?

I don’t know if I found it funny but in Wellington during a warm up throw an official appeared in the middle of the hammer sector digging holes and my hammer just scraped past his head!

What is your favourite athletics session?

I love a good morning throw when the sun is rising. But I also love a good throws session in Dunedin with my dad.

What is the greatest thing you’ve witnessed in an athletics stadium?

I was lucky enough to watch Julia Ratcliffe take home the hammer gold last year at the Commonwealth Games (in Gold Coast). It was a surreal moment for us New Zealand fans and kind of emotional for me too.

Who has been your toughest rival?

Lauren Bruce has been my toughest rival over the years and now Julia (Ratcliffe) is back home (living back in New Zealand from the US), she will become more of one (a rival) too (in future).

If you could star in another sport which sport would it be?

I have always loved gymnastics, and the discipline and commitment that is required to be good at it. It’s just so impressive. Simone Biles at the last Olympics (who won four gold medals in Rio) was insane.

When travelling to a meeting what is the most important item in your suitcase?

Hammer glove, hammer shoes and passport, if required. Anything else can be brought or replaced.

What is your greatest regret?

Getting in my own way mentally in 2018 and not being able to quite reach the Commonwealth Games standard.

Who is the person who most admire?

At the moment all of my training partners. They come to training and grind away until they have nothing left to give. Then they come back the next day to do it all again. We are part of a good team environment and we are very lucky to have a committed coach (Mike Schofield) that brings out the best in us.

What are you most scared of?

Heights – get me every time!

What is your favourite movie and why?

Funnily enough I am a hopeless romantic. So I love movies like Titanic, Mamma Mia! and Notting Hill.

When was the last time you looked at your athletics medals?

I moved house fairly recently, so they are still hiding in a box. But I remember looking at them last year after the Commonwealth Games. I wanted to remind myself how much I had accomplished over the years.


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