Olympic ambition has been pulsating through the veins of UQ business student Sam Conrad since he was 13.
The 24-year-old rower will represent Australia in the men’s eight at the Olympic Games in Beijing, following in the footsteps of father Tim Conrad and grandfather Maurice Grace.
Tim competed in the men’s eight rowing team at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal and currently coaches the Australian men’s four, while Maurice took to the water in the men’s pair 20 years earlier in Melbourne.
There is no denying that the third generation Olympic family have rowing in their blood and with a gold medal yet to be hung on the mantle, all eyes are on Sam.
“I think the family’s very proud to be involved in rowing,” Sam said.
“I think racing is obviously very exciting.
“It’s one of the best team sports around.”
Sam began his rise to Olympic glory in high school as part of the Brisbane Grammar School rowing team.
From there he has continued to excel in the sport winning two World Cup victories in the men’s eight in 2006 and 2008, gold in the men’s coxed pair at the World Championships in Gifu, Japan, in 2005, and first in the 2008 World Cup 1 men’s eight in Munich, Germany.
This is just a snapshot of the young adult’s career achievements, with Olympic gold firmly set in his sights.
“The Olympics is always the pinnacle of sport,” Sam said.
“Winning a medal is very good, winning a gold is just a bonus.”
Sam was accepted into the Australian Olympic rowing team in May and since then has probably spent more time in the water than on land.
His training regime involves three sessions a day, up to seven days a week, yet his biggest asset has been the ongoing support from his father and grandfather who know first-hand what will be expected in Beijing.
“You need to be very athletic, obviously you need to be very strong and fit – it takes years of technical expertise,” Sam said.
With the Olympics high on the agenda, the UQ student has had to defer his attention from his studies.
He has spent the past two years at the Australian Institute of Sport fine-tuning his talents while juggling lecture notes and tutorials but intends on finishing his degree in the next 12 months.
Other UQ students who are part of the Australian Olympic rowing team include Pippa Savage and Marguerite Houston.
Media: Eliza Plant at UQ Communications on (07 3365 2619, e.plant@uq.edu.au)
