Blood, sweat, tears and sacrifice – you’ve got to have it all if you want to bring home a medal at this year’s Commonwealth Games.
However, these three Kiwi athletes are also careful not to lose the love they have for the other passions in their lives – and have shared their secret obsessions with the Weekly.
Tracey Lambrechs – Weightlifting
Auckland weightlifter Tracey Lambrech’s secret passion might come as a surprise to many of her friends. Accustomed to seeing the over 75kg-class athlete lifting ridiculously heavy weights, Tracey (28) admits she has a softer side that loves musicals, cross stitch and, above all, Elvis Presley.
Tracey’s secret passion is musicals, cross stitch and Elvis Presley.
“I’m a big old softie when it comes down to it!” she says. “When I compete, I’m a different person to when I’m at home. Not many people get to see my softer side, but it’s good to have some mystery!”
Visitors to her Auckland home are greeted by an impressive collection of Elvis memorabilia – from washing baskets to mirrors, rugs and DVDs.
“Anything they make, I pretty much have it,” she says.
Her obsession with The King started when she used to visit her grandmother Marlene, who was a massive Elvis fan.
Her other love, cross stitch, was inherited from her Oma (grandmother in Dutch).
“My grandparents have had a big influence. My parents support the sport side and my grandparents were there to broaden my horizons.”
Tracey’s love of Elvis even extends to weightlifting – she plays his music, especially her favourite song Teddy Bear, before competitions.
“One day, I’ll do a cross stitch of Elvis – that’ll combine the two nicely!” she laughs. “And a gold medal to hang on the wall next to it would also be lovely.”
Megan Craig – Squash
A long-held interest in healthy food, combined with a gluten intolerance and an irrepressible mothering instinct has led Blenheim-based squash champion Megan Craig (21) to her secret passion.
The New Zealand number two has teamed up with rower Sophie MacKenzie to create healthy food blog, Megs and Soph.
An interest in healthy food, combined with a gluten intolerance led Megan to create healthy food blog, Megs and Soph.
“I’ve always had a thing for food that’s good for you, but Dad’s always said that I’m like his mum, always fussing!” Megan laughs. “So when I was playing sport at a high level and trying to manage my gluten intolerance, everything just kind of fit.
“I wanted to help other people and I love giving my recipes to others. When I bumped into Sophie years after we left school, she had been thinking the same thing.”
Megan now tries to balance squash training, coaching and studying with managing to create healthy recipes for the blog, using superfoods like kale, quinoa and acai berries.
It hasn’t been easy, she admits, but the rewards have been incredible.
“The other day, I was at the supermarket walking past the Alison Holst bins and a lady was buying chia seeds. She turned around, pointed and me and said to her friend, ‘That girl is the reason I’m buying these!’ Turns out she follows the blog and we had kick-started her healthy journey.”
While her boyfriend and Dad are subjected to “a few weird taste tests” from time to time, the majority of Megan’s recipes are successes – and it also provides a welcome distraction from squash.
She began playing after her mum and dad took her and her brother along to the squash courts “with Happy Meals in tow to keep us distracted while they played”.
“We liked it, so Dad cut the handles off some racquets so we could play in the kitchen. But then we got a bit stronger and the cupboards couldn’t take it, so we took it to the squash court!” Megan laughs.
“Now all these years later, I’m off to my first Commonwealth Games and I can’t wait.”
Petrea Webster – Hockey
For Petrea Webster (26) teaching is the perfect antidote to the pressures of hockey, despite the intense demands that come along with juggling both sport and career.
When she was 17 years old, she saw a group of kids being led by a teacher and realised teaching was the job for her.
Petrea says teaching is the perfect antidote to the pressures of hockey.
“I had this epiphany!” she says with a smile. “I thought, ‘I want to help kids. I want to lead them and watch them grow and evolve.’ I knew that this was my passion.”
Now in her fifth year of teaching physical education at Auckland’s Carmel College – “although it’s probably more like three with all the time I’ve been away for hockey” – her love of teaching is only growing.
“When I come home from a hockey trip and I get to see the girls I teach, it makes everything worthwhile. I find it a little boring just training. I need something else to stimulate me.”
And the best part? Seeing a student finally understand a lesson.
“They’re just little sponges,” she says. “I teach from Year Seven to Year 11, and I like the variety. When you teach them something and they grasp it – that’s what you teach for.”
Although she’s had to take three terms off prior to the Games, the school held an assembly to wish her luck – a gesture she found humbling.
“It was embarrassing but awesome! I’m excited about getting over there and hopefully doing my part to bring home gold.”
