Bartholomew Hall caught up with Olympic gold medalist Emily Craig after her win in the Paris Olympic Games.
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00:00It still feels quite a lot like a dream.
00:03Certainly, I mean, immediately afterwards,
00:06there was no time to take stock and let it sink in.
00:10I think I had about two hours of sleep on Friday night,
00:13and most of which was spent lying there being like,
00:16oh my god, it happened.
00:18But I think as the days go on, it's
00:20kind of sinking in a bit more, kind of relaxing into it,
00:24and really just appreciating how amazing the experience is
00:29and how just incredible this entire Olympic experience
00:32has been.
00:33Of course.
00:33Well, in terms of titles, you've kind of got it all now,
00:35haven't you?
00:36European champion, world champion, and now Olympic
00:38champion as well.
00:39And we saw the emotion that you expressed when you
00:42were being given that medal.
00:44This one meant just that little bit extra, didn't it?
00:47Yeah, I mean, this one pretty much meant everything.
00:50It was the culmination of three years of really hard work.
00:54And I think it's easy to look at the track
00:57record of being unbeaten and think that it was easy.
01:01But I mean, as a crew, we've had our ups and downs,
01:05even right up to that final.
01:09And we've both kind of come through some stuff
01:12behind the scenes, and I think handled it really well.
01:14So crossing the line was just, yeah, not so much relief,
01:20but just, yeah, almost disbelief that we actually
01:25managed to do it and pull it off.
01:26And yeah, it was incredible.
01:28Of course.
01:28I mean, when you look back at the highlights,
01:29it almost looks easy, that last bit where
01:32you're ahead of the pack.
01:33But when you think about the journey that you've had,
01:35as you say, over those three years,
01:37it's not been straightforward.
01:38Yes, you've been winning and you've
01:40been unbeaten in that time, but you also faced injury as well.
01:43So I mean, I was just wondering, what was your kind of insight
01:45into those three years?
01:46Because that determination just stayed with you the whole way.
01:51Yeah, I think what was really, really helpful
01:54was coming back into a new program
01:56with the new head coach, Andrew Randall.
02:00His training program has been pretty insane.
02:04There's been days where I've looked at it and been like,
02:07I can't do that.
02:08And then somehow, somehow you do do it, and you get faster,
02:11you get stronger.
02:13So I think these three years, feeling very, very different
02:17and also going further physically and mentally
02:20than I ever had before and ever thought I could
02:23has really meant that we came with a lot of confidence
02:26knowing that we just weren't the same athletes
02:28that we were three years ago.
02:29Of course, and on top of that, it
02:31was the last time that your event is going to feature
02:33at the Olympics as well.
02:34So it was that kind of that last shot for you
02:36to get that medal and to get that gold.
02:39Are you sad to see the event go, despite being the forever
02:41champions now?
02:43The forever champions is very, very cool.
02:47I think it is very sad to see the event go.
02:50It's been one of the more competitive events
02:52over the years.
02:53Everybody's obviously the same weight.
02:55So often, the margins are a lot smaller,
02:59as we certainly experienced three years ago.
03:02I do understand the reasoning behind the IOC's decision,
03:05and I am quite excited to take a look at beach sprints
03:09and see how that is, because I have
03:10a bit of experience of coastal rowing,
03:12and that was extremely fun.
03:14So it's not over yet.
03:15We could see you with some more golds in the future,
03:17and we'd love to see it as well.
03:19And of course, rowing in general for Team GB
03:21has been extraordinary at this Olympic Games.
03:24How do you see the success and the medals
03:27that we've seen flying in impacting the sport back home?
03:32I mean, I absolutely hope it does.
03:34I hope hundreds and thousands of people
03:36are inspired to get out on the water,
03:37because rowing is a really incredible sport.
03:41To me, one of the best things about it
03:42is just the sense of community.
03:44And I think you get that at a club level,
03:47and then even right up to being part of the squad,
03:50seeing the success.
03:52It's just been incredible being part of this team.
03:55And from the moment the women's quad crossed the line
03:58and got that gold, all the way through to watching
04:01the women's eight get that bronze is just,
04:04yeah, it's been such a privilege to be
04:06a part of something that's been so historic.
04:09And it's been great to watch from back home here as well.
04:11And of course, you're now our second gold medalist
04:13from Kent as well, obviously following Nathan
04:16Howells in the shooting.
04:17I think there's going to be lots of people
04:19and lots of young people, especially,
04:20looking at yourself and Nathan and the success
04:23and seeing someone from where I'm from
04:25is able to have that success and complete their goals.
04:28And what would be your message to them
04:30about following their dreams?
04:33I think make sure you always enjoy it.
04:36I've said a couple of times, a happy rower is a fast rower.
04:40And if you're doing what you love, then you'll
04:43go far with it.
04:45And then just finally from me, before I
04:47let you go and enjoy the rest of your time in Paris,
04:51what would you be doing if you weren't rowing?
04:53I know that the last time we spoke,
04:56it obviously came from the inspiration from your parents
04:58following in their footsteps as rowers.
05:00What do you think you would be doing maybe
05:02back here in the county or wherever else life led you?
05:06So I have a degree in history of art
05:10and a master's in Asian art.
05:11So I would hopefully be doing something along those lines,
05:15probably in an auction house or a gallery.
05:17So a bit of a world away from sport and rowing.
05:20But yeah, two very specific passions in my life,
05:24making a boat go fast over 2,000 meters and Asian art.
05:28Incredible stuff.
05:28Well, enjoy the rest of your time there in Paris.
05:31Are you going to be staying and watching some more sports
05:33and staying, obviously, for the closing ceremony as well?
05:36Yes, so we're staying for the closing ceremony.
05:38And I was very lucky.
05:40I was at the athletics last night,
05:42so got to see that insane men's 100-meter final.
05:46So yeah, it's going to be an incredible week.