Kiwi Olympic champion Eric Murray has spoken about the “tipping point” Olivia Podmore experienced in the weeks before her death watching the Tokyo Olympics where her ex-boyfriend won a gold medal and a teammate medalled in her track sprint event.
The two-time Olympic gold medallist rower was a friend and mentor to Podmore in the years before the 24-year-old took her life on August 9, 2021 - the day after the Tokyo Games ended.
Murray was a witness this morning in the coronial inquest into Podmore’s death in Hamilton District Court and spoke about the lack of communication Podmore received about her non-selection for the Tokyo Games.
“I think the tipping point for Olivia was having to watch the Tokyo Olympic Games after everything she had gone through in connection with her non-selection,” Murray said.
“She watched her ex-boyfriend Tom Murray win a gold medal in the rowing eight. Olivia was upset during this time, but I did not observe any particularly concerning behaviours. She also watched a friend and teammate, who was arguably ranked lower than Olivia, go on to win a medal in an event she had raced in.”
“I guess it’s more of a shell shock watching the Olympics … like, what am I going to do? Where am I going to go?”
Podmore was informed she would not compete in the Tokyo Olympics in mid-2020. Murray discussed her sprint team having actually qualified for a “quota” spot in the Tokyo Olympics.
However, Murray said that spot was given to the endurance cycling team because they were deemed to have a better chance at reaching CNZ’s “targets” - an Olympic medal.
“This ‘quota’ system was not in place at New Zealand Rowing. If a boat qualified for the Olympics, it was that boat that went. I cannot understand how a spot in the sprint cycling team can be given to a member in the endurance cycling team,” Murray said.
“There was no transparency or clear basis for this decision. Further, CNZ rejected the opportunity for additional cyclists to compete in the Olympics when spots became available. This left Olivia feeling dejected and incredibly frustrated.”
Murray said as the Tokyo Olympics were delayed a year he could not understand why CNZ did not reassess their selection decisions because “a year can make a big difference from a performance perspective”.
Murray also touched on the lack of trust Podmore had for a Cycling NZ psychologist she was using in the years before her death.
“I also knew that Olivia had been seeing an independent psychologist as she didn’t trust that CNZ and HPSNZ [High Performance Sport NZ] would keep her information confidential,” Murray said.
HPSNZ lawyer Olivia Lund confirmed that sporting organisation did arrange a referral for Podmore to see an independent psychologist.
Murray recalled Podmore telling him: “I still just don’t trust that the information I’m talking isn’t getting back to someone else. She wanted that independence … [speaking to a CNZ psychologist] she didn’t feel that ... information was being kept secret … she was just like ‘I don’t want anything I’m talking about getting back to the people who are making it hard for me [coaches]’.”
Olivia Podmore 's mum Nienke Middleton speaking at the coroner's inquest in Hamilton District Court. Photo / RNZ pool
Cycling NZ coaches had Podmore’s private health info, court hears
The ex-wife of a disgraced CNZ coach, who was a close friend of Podmore for many years up to her death on August 9, 2021, also gave evidence this morning.
Nicholle Bailey touched on extensive bullying Podmore was subjected to under her ex-husband’s coaching. The coach left CNZ in 2018 after it emerged he was in a relationship with another CNZ athlete.
“Liv was quite open about the bullying she would experience from [her ex-husband and the athlete he was in a relationship with],” Bailey said.
“Basically been told everything is your fault …”
Bailey also spoke about her ex-husband being fed information from team psychologists.
“My ex-husband used to know when she had gone to a GP, he knew when she was on the pill … that’s not relevant [information he should know],” Bailey said.
“That information used to be fed back to my husband.
“I believe Olivia’s openness with [CNZ psychologists] was a double-edged sword. In one sense it provided awareness of the difficulties she was facing. However, I’m also aware that this information regularly went further than it should have, resulting in Olivia being ostracised, vilified and bullied by coaches and teammates.
“[The team psychologist and the disgraced CNZ coach] were all part of this ‘boys’ club’. [The psychologist would tell the CNZ coach] about the confidential discussions that would go on in these [private health] sessions.”
Bailey felt that “there was a severe lack of treatment if I’m honest”.
Coroner Luella Dunn on day one of the Olivia Podmore inquest in the Hamilton District Court. Photo / Pool
‘There is no dispute’
At the outset of the coronial inquest, set to go for three weeks, Coroner Louella Dunn said “there is no dispute” Podmore died by suicide.
“The focus of this inquest will be the mental health challenges Olivia faced and the care she received.”
Dunn said the issues the inquest was attempting to answer were:
What were the circumstances of Podmore’s death?
What did HPSNZ and CNZ know of Podmore’s challenges before her death and did they have sufficient knowledge to help her?
What steps did they take and were they appropriate to address the health challenges?
If another athlete had the same mental health issues today as Podmore experienced, would the response from HPSNZ and CNZ be different?
Olivia's brother Mitchell Podmore and their father Phil (in the background) at the Olivia Podmore inquest at Hamilton District Court. Photo / Pool
Cyclist Oliva Podmore (inset), her mother Nienke Middleton (left) and Nienke's husband Chris Middleton (right) in Hagley Park. Photo / Joe Allison
Three-year wait for answers
In formal terms, coroners conduct inquests to determine the cause and circumstances of death and identify ways to prevent similar deaths in the future.
About 30 witnesses will appear at the inquest, including Podmore’s mother Nienke Middleton and her husband Chris, who will represent themselves without legal counsel.
“I’ve got to be the lawyer, by default,” Chris Middleton said. “It was probably going to be another $150,000, so we made the fairly simple choice that we’ll do it ourselves.”
The Middletons have already undertaken an extended legal battle to obtain Podmore’s medical records from HPSNZ, costing them tens of thousands of dollars.
More than 1000 medical documents were suppressed ahead of the coronial inquiry, the Middletons say.
Chris said the documents, which they finally obtained in late 2022, made for disturbing reading.
“There’s been an awful lot of noise coming out of [HPSNZ]. They’ve just fought absolutely everything pre-inquest, everything suppressed ... God, it’s just been relentless,” he said.
“There’ll be a lot of nervous people there I would think.”
Nienke added: “We’ve basically had to kick and scream for everything”.
Olivia Podmore (left) with her mother Nienke Middleton. Photo / Supplied
There are a number of non-publication orders for the names of health professionals who worked within the HPSNZ system, as well as a CNZ staff member.
HPSNZ, CNZ and several other witnesses sought non-publication orders through King’s Counsel. In all, there will be four KCs at the inquest - something that riles Chris, given the legal expenses the family have personally endured over several years.
Other notable witnesses at the inquest include friend and two-time Olympic gold medallist Eric Murray, and Podmore’s housemate at the time and close friend Andrew McLean. This was the residence on the outskirts of Cambridge where Podmore died.
Both Murray and McLean were with Podmore the weekend before she died, skiing in Queenstown.
Among the coaches speaking at the coronial inquiry will be former CNZ lead track sprint coach Rene Wolff and CNZ high performance director Martin Barras, as well as the chief executive at the time, Jacques Landry.
All three men resigned from their roles in the six months following Podmore’s death.
Sport NZ chief executive Raelene Castle will also appear as a witness.
“We would like to extend our sympathies to the family and friends of Olivia Podmore. HPSNZ appreciates that the coronial inquest will be a very difficult time for them,” Castle said in a statement.
“It may also be a difficult time for those who worked closely with Olivia within the high performance system and HPSNZ will be providing support if and when needed.
“Athlete wellbeing is one of the three key focuses of the HPSNZ strategy, and a lot of new initiatives, updated policies and compulsory training have been introduced across the high performance system over the last four years.
“We are all continuously learning, and the coronial inquiry will be an important next step in the process, as we work to ensure that high performance sport is a place where all athletes can thrive and succeed.”
Raelene Castle, head of high Performance Sport NZ (left), and Jacques Landry, former chief executive of Cycling New Zealand at a press conference at the Cambridge Velodrome regarding the death of Olivia Podmore in 2021. Photo / Mike Scott
In her final social media post, hours before she died, Podmore referenced a “cover-up” at CNZ.
The Herald has also reported on the personal challenges Podmore faced in the last year of her life, after she was told in August 2020 she would not be selected for the Tokyo Olympics. Podmore was using drugs recreationally during this time, and receiving psychological help.
Many fellow CNZ athletes felt Podmore was unfairly treated during selection for those Olympics. A legal dispute around selection lodged by another CNZ athlete close to Podmore complicated matters further.
Tom Dillane is an Auckland-based journalist covering local government and crime as well as sports investigations. He joined the Herald in 2018 and is deputy head of news.
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