Gold medallists Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors on the challenges they faced

New Zealand’s newest Olympic champions paid tribute to their families and talked about their recent journey as mums after grabbing gold in the women’s double sculls in Paris.

Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors beat reigning Olympic champions Romania by just 0.24 seconds.

Speaking to Sky TV after the medal ceremony Francis said: “It’s definitely no secret that it hasn’t been easy.

“For me, I think about my friends who are mothers as well and what they go through every day – and . I’ve got so much more respect for my mum now and watching all mums and parents do what they do is special.”

The pair started racing together last year when they were both new mums. Spoors' son Rupert and Francis’ daughter Keira – both under the age of two – are in Paris with family supporting the rowers.

Spoors and Francis are New Zealand’s first elite female rowers to return to the top level of the sport having kids.

Spoors said they both “felt so supported”.

“We want to thank everyone from home and everyone who has been cheering for us and cheering for the mums.

“Honestly, it’s been tough but it’s never been dark because they’ve been such a driving force so it’s been a pleasure every day.

“We’ve believed every day with all the support we’ve had that this has been possible to adjust to be standing here now and to say we done it is just unbelievable.”

Speaking to Lockerroom last year, Francis said the pair of new mums bounded ideas of each other as were “trying to figure out motherhood together”.

“It’s really nice and it breaks up the pressure of rowing as well because there are other important things going on in our lives now.

“We’re lucky in women’s sport in New Zealand we’ve had the likes of Gemma McCaw and Dame Val Adams leading the way in returning as mums.”

There was more joy for the Spoors family with Lucy’s sister Phoebe bagging a bronze medal as part of the women’s four alongside Davina Waddy, and sisters Kerri Williams and Jackie Gowler.

- Written by the NZ Herald and republished here with permission.