It is just 26 days until sport's most eagerly awaited event, and cyclist Hayden Roulston wants to "do a Sarah Ulmer" and win gold in the individual pursuit on the track at Beijing.
The 26-year-old has had a tough time since the Athens’ games, with court appearances for assault, and well documented heart trouble, but he is now upbeat and positive about life and his sport.
3News’ David Di Somma caught up with Hayden Roulston:
HR: “I just fully believe 2008 will be my year and I will fulfil all my goals this year. First up is the individual pursuit, I believe I can deliver the goods.”
DD: “4000 metres, is it four and a quarter minutes of pain?”
HR: “It's over and done with before you know it, it hurts like you wouldn't believe but it's satisfying, you look up at 4:18 or 4:14 or whatever it takes to win the Olympic title.”
DD: “In a normal week how many kilometres would you do?”
HR: “In terms of kilometres it's 600/800/1000 kilometres, depending on the type of training I’m doing. In the last year there have been some big downers, bad publicity, heart trouble you know but I’m in the best space, never been happier to be honest.”
DD: “The heart trouble you had in 2006 does that impact on you at all?”
HR: “No at all. I monitor myself daily at training with a heart rate monitor, no issue at all now.”
DD: “How did you fix something the medical fraternity said was life threatening?”
HR: “Through Reiki actually. It's Japanese healing technique. It's a hand’s on treatment which transfers energy from one person to another. There was once upon a time just the mental and the physical, now it's the emotional and the spiritual, four very different components that's going to win the gold medal. If I walk away with the gold medal knowing I performed to my utmost best I”ll be happy, but if I walk away with silver or bronze or fourth the better man won on the day, but I'm confident I can win a gold medal.
3News