Sonia Mills - AIS Rowing
After four years of torture, Sonia Mills Olympic dream came down to one race, she tells David Packwood.
Ever since Canberra rower Sonia Mills was a child she’s always dreamed of one day representing Australia at an Olympic Games.
That dream became a reality when she combined with fellow Australian team mate Catriona Sens to finish second behind Ukraine at the Final Olympic Qualification in Poland.
Needing a top-two finish to make the Games, Mills and Sens held off a late charge from Poland to qualify for the Beijing Olympics.
Now with the Olympics just a month away, Mills gives an insight into how fine a line it was between making the Beijing team and being a spectator.
The Olympic qualification regatta was like no other experience. It was actually a low-key affair compared to other international races I have been in which made it hard to believe that this was actually it ‘D-Day’.
But it was, and there were no second chances if my partner Catriona and I didn’t get it right then and there. Finish outside the two and our Olympic dream was over.
The 24 hours heading into our A-Final was extremely nerve wracking. I had adrenaline pumping through my body like never before. I had to calm myself down by watching a movie as I tried to take my mind off the task ahead.
My whole sporting career had come down to this moment and I wanted it sooner rather than later. On finals eve, I couldn’t sleep very well. I woke up several hours early pumped and itching to race. It’s amazing how your body reacts in such circumstances. It’s so important to keep a lid on things or you can be physically and mentally spent before you even reach the starting line.
The big race
There was a head breeze blowing so we knew that it would be a longer race (time wise). Our tactics were to put the hard yards at the middle part of the race and look to make a dent on the field.
Out of the start line we weren’t in front as hoped, but were side by side with the other competitors. Quarter of the way through we made our move and surged to the front leading by 2.5seconds at the 500m mark.
We held that lead through the third quarter and had a reasonable lead at the 1500m mark.
Unfortunately my body started paying the price as we headed into the final 500m. A lifetime of training and it had all come down to this moment.
Ukraine managed to get the better of us and moved into the lead. Poland, cheered on by a parochial home crowd, was coming home strong but there was no way we were going to let them past us.
Despite my body rebelling, we held on for second place and grabbed our place on the plane bound for Beijing.
Euphoria
I found it hard to celebrate straight after the race because I could barely function as my body was physically spent. I was actually annoyed we hadn’t held on for the win but 20 minutes after the race I had this overwhelming sense of relief. The joy of knowing that you would be representing your country at an Olympic Games had now hit me and it was just unbelievable.
When I was a young runner during my school days I dreamt that maybe one day I could be an Olympian.
But I thought it was just a dream. Seven years ago when I picked up my first oars I didn’t realise the journey ahead would lead me to this point.
If I’m lucky the end result could be a shiny medal and a place in sporting history.
Robert Crowther