Rio Olympics 2016: Rower Alex Hagan goes from suburban footy to rowing in Rio
ALEX Hagan’s dreams of Olympic glory were so remote she turned out for the St Kevin’s women’s football side on Saturday.
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ALEX Hagan’s dreams of Olympic glory were so remote she turned out for the St Kevin’s women’s football side on Saturday.
The 25-year-old was a member of the Australian women’s rowing eight about to start training the next day in case the Russia crew was banned from the Olympics.
But the West Australian wasn’t about to sacrifice her budding footy career for the remote chance authorities might eject the Russia boat.
Yesterday she made the easiest decision of her career, passing up the chance to play a football final with St Kevin’s to fly to Rio on August 5 for her second Olympic Games.
The only member of the women’s eight with Olympic experience, Hagan might also be the most excitable member of the crew.
“I was playing AFL last week,’’ she said.
“I got best on ground as a ruckman and I had no idea what I was doing. It was only my second game and we are in finals but I won’t be playing.
“I laid a massive tackle in front of the coach and I am pretty sure that’s what got me best on ground.
“Another rowing chick was playing with us and she did her medial ligament in her knee and she was our ruckman so I had to play ruck and I didn’t know what was I doing so I ran around and tackled people.
“And it turned out all right. My best mate plays and I have only moved to Melbourne three weeks ago and she plays so I went along and the rest is history.”
So enamoured with her new sport is Hagan that she hasn’t ruled out trying out for the new AFL women’s league.
The boat we raced in at the Olympic qualification regatta was called the Sarah Tait and it has been a huge thing for us
Alex Hagan 
MORE: ‘SARAH’S SPIRIT WILL BE WITH US IN RIO’
She says many elite Olympic athletes are excited about the potential to play a two-month AFL season while combining it with their current sport.
“There was word on the street about Russia and it was in the pipeline that we might potentially get the go-ahead,’’ Hagan said.
“But I was not going to live my life in a bubble. I thought, ‘I will continue to play until I get word and if it doesn’t go my way I am still having fun and enjoying life’.
“I went to training last night as well.”
Hagan was in the pub eating dinner when news came through about the eights’ elevation, but she is still confident they can shake up the Rio regatta.
“We are fresh as daisies. It’s not an ideal lead-in but, at the same time, it makes you focus on the important things.
“We had got off the water after not qualifying (in Switzerland in May) and then we went our separate ways and then we all came back together on Sunday.
“We have to get on with the job at hand and make sure we do the best we can.”
WHERE AUSTRALIA’S WOMEN’S EIGHT WERE BEFORE THEY STARTED TRAINING AGAIN ON SUNDAY
■ Last got in a boat together on May 24
■ Started training again on Sunday July 24
■ Fly to Rio on August 5
■ Row in their heat of the Olympics on August 8
Fiona Albert, Queensland
• Has been training for the Brisbane marathon on August 7, one day before the women’s eight heats.
• In incredible shape after gym, ergo and running sessions
Lucy Stephan, Victoria
• Also training for the Brisbane marathon and in top shape given gym, ergo and running sessions.
Jessica Morrison, Victoria
• In training for a cross-country skiing marathon on Mount Buller. Skiing and mountain-biking.
Charlotte Sutherland, NSW
• Had been back on the family farm in country NSW doing spin classes and gym sessions
Alex Hagan, West Australia
• Had kept fit playing footy for St Kevin’s in the women’s league and will miss a football final to go to Rio.
Megan Volker, Tasmania
• Was back in Tasmania and regularly rowing with the Tasmanian Institute of Sport crews.
Molly Goodman, Adelaide
• The least-prepared of the women’s eight, she had been travelling in Doha and Thailand with her family
Georgie Gotch, NSW
• Was in Sydney doing general fitness work and some rowing.
Olympia Aldersey
• The official reserve for Australia’s Rio boats, so will reunite with the boat in Rio on August 5.
Originally published as Rio Olympics 2016: Rower Alex Hagan goes from suburban footy to rowing in Rio
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