Finn Butcher: Olympic hero on his life-changing gold medal, new fame and inspiring the nation – On The Up

What’s it like to win an Olympic gold medal? And how does it change your life? In the first of a three part series, Michael Burgess talks to first-time Olympian Finn Butcher on success, fame, inspiring the nation and living out of a suitcase.

Finn Butcher is still getting used to the recognition.

In cafes, in supermarkets, at petrol stations and walking down the street. From being a highly accomplished – but often anonymous athlete – the canoe slalom exponent was thrust into the public eye last August after his spectacular gold medal in Paris.

It wasn’t completely out of the blue, as Butcher had some notable achievements on the world stage – but he certainly wasn’t a podium favourite. His success captured the imagination, the kid from a small South Island town (Alexandra), in a new event, who had beaten everybody and done it all with a smile and a swagger.

“It’s a little bit different but it’s cool,” Butcher tells the Herald. “I was a bit unknown before and now people are recognising me, wanting to say hello, asking for photos or just saying ‘congratulations, we watched you’.”

Finn Butcher won gold in the inaugural Olympic Games canoe slalom kayak cross. Photo / Jason Oxenham

Butcher, naturally gregarious and friendly, enjoys the interactions – though it has been an adjustment.

“You know, when you walk into a room and you’re like, ‘Oh, everyone’s looking at me and like most of the time people aren’t looking at you,” says Butcher. “Now it’s like – ‘Oh people are actually kind of looking at me’. But it’s great. Kiwis absolutely love the Olympics and they love gold medals as well. So it’s cool being able to achieve that dream and then sharing it with the whole country.”

After the Olympics, the Herald first caught up with Butcher last November, at the two-day Crossroads workshop run by High Performance Sport New Zealand. First convened after the 2016 Rio Olympics, it aims to provide athletes with a variety of tools to deal with the “what next” at the end of a Games cycle. The 30-year-old was a classic case; first time Olympian, first-time medallist, first-time gold.

Life has changed “quite a bit”, mainly due to the extra commitments. There have been the school visits, the public speaking, the engagements. There are the media demands, the work with new and existing sponsors – “trying to build my brand” – and everything else that goes with being an Olympic champion.

“I was a professional athlete before but I guess I was only half of a professional athlete, like only doing the training side, the competing,” says Butcher. “Now it’s more in the public eye.”

One of the favourite aspects of his post-Olympics journey has been the chance to share his story on school visits, especially around Alexandra and Clyde, where he has been to every school in the area.

“That’s one of the coolest things,” says Butcher. “I always wanted to represent central Otago and try to inspire some people there. But actually bringing that medal home and seeing the kids look at that and think, someone who came from where I am can go and do that. Honestly, you just see their eyes light up and they just start dreaming.”

Butcher’s kayak cross truimph came on day 11 of the Games. He stayed on in the village until the end, then was honoured as a flagbearer at the closing ceremony, alongside Dame Lisa Carrington. Butcher flew straight back home, with a media tour, school visits and some family time, before returning to Europe to race at two World Cup events.

“That was interesting ... because I didn’t do any training or exercise after the Games”, laughs Butcher.

Finn Butcher (second left) competing in the Canoe Slalom in Paris. Photo / Photosport

But he wanted to finish the season well, along with taking the chance to support his partner Courtney Williams, who was also racing.

“She’d been running around after me up until Paris,” explains Butcher.

Butcher returned to New Zealand in early October, surprising a few people by turning up at the national championships at Shannon in Manawatū within a few days of his arrival.

“I thought it would be cool to catch up with everyone, see all the judges, the volunteers, the kids and stuff as well,” said Butcher. “It was special but I was definitely pretty cooked. So the following week, it took a fair bit to get the energy back.”

There was still work to do – a debrief, a campaign plan for the next cycle, a high-performance support application – before he could finally call a halt.

“At that point I was like, man, can I just not do anything?,” laughs Butcher. “I just want to go and hang out on the couch or go sit at the beach or something. There’s been a good amount of reflection. You are living on an adrenaline high for a few months, that comes down eventually just energy-wise. But I was still in a really good place, mentally and that kind of thing.”

The Paris success provided tangible benefits, with four new sponsors already on board (Apollo Projects, Generate KiwiSaver, TDM Electrical and Kingspan NZ), which will profoundly change this upcoming Games cycle.

“Things have definitely become less stressful financially,” says Butcher. “It’s going to be awesome to have a campaign where I’m not as stressed about how to make things work out of the boat as much as in it.”

Aside from competing, Butcher spent the summer staying with friends in West Auckland. You sense he would prefer to be down south but “you have to be in Auckland, for training, for connections, for everything”.

He will find his own pad here, even though he spends almost half the year overseas.

“We spend up to six months away in Europe and just live out of a suitcase in a car the whole time,” says Butcher. “So coming back and having a place where it’s yours is nice. You can unpack all your stuff, you’ve got your coffee machine in the morning, your bits and pieces and you can feel quite settled and at home. It’s important for the longevity, not to burn out because if I just lived like that the whole year, by the time I get to Los Angeles [in 2028] I’ll just be exhausted.”

Butcher naturally looks forward – “there are so many challenges to come” – but still enjoys reflecting on his shock Paris triumph and he’s seen plenty of replays, either at events or with family and friends.

“I still get goosebumps from it,” admits Butcher. “Mum and Dad have watched it quite a few times. Even though they know the result, they watch it and still think something is going to happen. They told me ‘We are still like; he’s going to get overtaken or get a penalty or something like that’. It’s pretty funny.”

Michael Burgess has been a Sports Journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host of the Big League podcast.