Opinion
"My dad was coach of the 1984 Olympic team, the one with Ian Ferguson, Paul MacDonald, Alan Thompson and Grant Bramwell - the most successful Olympic team New Zealand's ever had. As mentors for me, at 12 years old, I had these guys around at my house nearly
every day. They would come to Gisborne to train.
"For me, that influence made it clear from a very young age that striving to be the best was something that's normal. Whereas these days it's go out and participate and have fun.
"My mum took me to the airport when they got back from the Olympics. I was only 12 and as they came through Customs, with all the media and people gathered around, they called out to me and then they put all these gold medals around my neck. Participation was not really an option from that moment on. They were my idols and I just wanted to be the best in the world as well.
"It's weird because it actually lessens the pressure. At 12 years old, you think if they can do it, then I can do it.
"It's so important to have these mentors around you, the main one is still my dad, Ben Hutchings, he was an amazing coach, still is. He took me to Australia when I was 18, and helped me through the Ironman sport.
"The first race over there, on the World Surf Ironman circuit, I had a personal expectation to make the top 20. I finished 280th. I was beaten by three girls.
"All I wanted to do was give up and come back to New Zealand. If Dad wasn't there that day to keep me focused on the bigger picture, you wouldn't be talking to me now, because I would have given up. Four years after that I won my first world title."
