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New Zealand rowing pair Hamish Bond and Eric Murray. - Source: Photosport -
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A world record may be within the reach of Kiwi men's pair Eric Murray and Hamish Bond, but the rowing duo only have eyes on an Olympic gold medal.
Unbeaten since 2009, the Kiwi pair last year came within a half a second of beating the record held by Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, but say topping the podium rather than a fast time is their aim on Dorney Lake.
"At the Olympics, it's about getting over the line first," said Bond. "I couldn't give two hoots about the world time."
Murray was equally intent on putting world rowing's record books on the backburner at this regatta.
"If it's a screaming headwind and it took us eight minutes, I wouldn't care, as long as we got across the line first," Murray said.
Fast times are possible at the Olympic venue, which saw several world records in 2006, but Bond says conditions have to play their part if they're to set a new mark.
"You just need a bit of tailwind to help you along and maybe another crew trying to row you down, trying to chase you down the course to give you a bit more motivation, and it could happen, but it's just a by-product rather than a target."
He says that even without the record of 6m 14.27s, they believe their consistency ranks them up with the best pairs in the sport.
Their dominance over the past four years has seen their nearest rivals - British duo of Andy Triggs Hodge and Pete Reed - quit the class in favour of the four, but they have no plans to change the way they race in their absence.
"Get out in front and hopefully no one will pass us," said Murray. "We've been training to do as fast a rhythm as possible for 2000 metres and that's what we're just going to go out to achieve."
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