With the Rio Olympics coming up fast – not to mention a wedding to plan – hockey golden girl Gemma Flynn certainly has a lot on her plate.
However, as the gorgeous 26-year-old tells Woman’s Day, she’s always thrived under pressure and has a competitive streak that began in her early years, when Gemma would face off against her older brothers Jared and Isaac in any sport they could get their hands on.
That drive to succeed will stand Gemma in good stead during the Olympics, where the beautiful blonde will be going for gold alongside her close-knit team.
When Woman’s Day spoke to the Black Sticks star, she was deep in preparation for Rio at the Black Sticks’ pre-Olympics training camp in Auckland and it was clear that anticipation levels were running high.
“I am so excited to go to Rio. This is what we players put in the hours for,” she says.
“It’s a bit of a whirlwind at the moment, but when we get there and get onto the turf, that’s when it’ll sink in.”
While hockey is undoubtedly at the forefront of her mind right now, Gemma reveals she’ll be diving into wedding planning with fiancé Richie McCaw once the Olympics are over.
Watch Gemma’s appearance in the trailer for the Richie McCaw documentary Chasing Great in the video – story continues below
The couple, who have been dating for four years, announced their engagement in early January, with Richie taking to Facebook to write, “Gemma said ‘yes’! It’s been great celebrating our engagement with friends and family in sunny central Otago. Here’s to a great year ahead.”
Her relationship with the rugby star comes with its own set of challenges, thanks to their high-profile status as New Zealand’s golden couple of sport. But Gemma says she’s learned to take it in her stride.
“The positive side is that I get to see how Rich inspires so many people every single day, whether it’s a kid who comes up to him asking for a photo or the little old lady who wants to shake his hand,” she says.
For the full story with Gemma, make sure to pick up your copy of the latest Woman’s Day, on sale nationally from Monday, August 1.
