Welcome back, everyone.Tommy Talks.Oh, do we have a massive guest.High-energy Johnny Stephenson.He was the king of the 400-meter.When I grew up, I wanted to be like John.He won the gold medal at the Aussie Comm Games in Melbourne.
We talk about his relationship with Usain Bolt, all the parties they used to do.We talk about Celebrity Apprentice.
We talk about a lot of things, but more importantly, just tips in life and how hard it was and the highs and the lows of the athletics industry.It's a cracker.I really love this one.
We even talk about the Barry Foley documentary that I feature in as well and get Johnny's reaction.But tune in at Tommy Talks Exclusive with Johnny Stephenson. Aces, I know I always go on about the Rixies, but I've got huge news.
We have all our styles and colours restocked on the website right now.It's been months, we ran out of stock, but we're back.
Get online, grab some sunglasses at rixeyewear.com.au right now, and use our little discount code ACES if you want a 20% discount code on the house.Righto, let's get into the show. All right, we're back in studio.No introduction needed.
If you used to watch the Olympics like I used to, I used to dream of being a 400-meter runner.Johnny Stebbins.Who's the worst of it?I chose Paulie.I'm done.I'm done.Mate, welcome to the pod.Great to have you.Nice having me, brother.Great to see you.
The Wildcat, the famous Wildcat story.I think Brownie told it about a year ago involving you and Usain Bolt.So just before we start, that's all true?All true, yeah.
All true, yeah.That's amazing.Absolutely true. Well, the actual, the real story goes, how he got the, did he tell you he got the name Wildcat?I think he did on the potty, but you can tell us again.
Well, Usain, they don't really have a culture of betting and Usain comes out with three, four boys and we're all mates because one of them used to compete for Great Britain, Jamaican guy.
So we all at Rockpool and Campbell called me up, said, where are you?This was after the raid.I think it could have been even Derby day.And I said, Oh, I'm at Rockpool.Come down.He brought his,
He's his missus and he comes down and anyone talking to brownie rock pulling in I introduced things He hadn't met bolt yet introducing you saying and Jermaine and a few other guys anyway You know start conversation brownies sort of like standing, you know, you're saying sitting and standing at all How's your day?
Are you saying he sounds like yeah good money was good.I He goes, Cam's like, you have a bet mate?Or, you know, Sam's like, yeah, yeah, man, yeah, man, yeah.Cam's like, so how much you lose, mate?And Sam's like, oh, man, very bad, man.I lost 80.
And Cam's like, oh, 80?Far out.And he's like, no, no, $80.And Cam was like, oh, all right. And it's you saying, right?
And you say, he goes, ah, you, how did you, you bet?And Cam was like, yeah, mate, yeah, I bet.He says, ah, did you win?He says, nah, mate.Cam was like, nah, mate, had a shock.Had a shock. He says, how much did you lose?K, I was like, 20.
And he starts giggling, oh, $20?Nah, mate, 20K, mate.And then Jermaine goes, man, that bloke's a wildcat.And that's how the name Wildcat started.So from there, he's known as the cat.
Yeah, man.So no, he was, um, yeah, Campbell's a unique, uh, human being.I think, I think you're good, mate.
So even when I think we get all the tests, you know, he's, uh, there's always a good story lurking around Brownie when you're hanging out with him, which is good.
He's a king.We had him on another week.He tipped the house down last year.This year, he's had a, he's had a lot of, a lot of filthy punters out there.He's, his best tip was Tyree out there and whoop whoop on a Friday and it ran like a bus at us.
I feel like this whole potty's going to be brownie stories.
We better go easy on him, he's on SEN track every day.
We looked up the other day, we see that there was the South Australian Cup, and I think he's told the story on SEN. I don't, I don't, I'm not knowledgeable at horses, but Brownie's very knowledgeable about them.
And, um, uh, we, it was through COVID period and there was a horse called Dallasan and, um, and there was a horse called Russian Camelot and they're going for the South Australia cup.
So every day, all day, I'm asking Brownie, what do you think is going to win here?Brownie said, look, I think this horse will win, but I'm going to bet against it.So I bet on the horse.He said, it's going to win.The horse wins.
He always, you bet against me. And he's losing, he's upset, and he wasn't gonna have a punt this day, but he got asked to be in a quaddie, so he did.So anyway... It gets to the South Australian Cup.And I go, mate, who's going to win here?
And he goes, look, Russian Camelot, good horse, man.It'll be leading.It's a strong horse, but it's raced a lot.It's faded a bit last race.Dallassan's been tracking well.Fitness will play a big part of it.
And you know, towards the back end, they'll loom up against each other and then Dallassan will edge up and fitness will kick in.So I go, so anyway, I'm thinking, mate, every horse he's picked against has lost.So I went Russian Camelot.
So anyway, mind you, he wasn't going to have a punt this day at all.Anyway, the race is coming on.Anyway, fast forward, hit the, I think the final furlong.Rush and Camelot's in the lead.Dallasan looms up next to it.
And he's like, yes, Dallasan, this is where fitness kicks in.This is where fitness kicks in.And then Rush and Camelot just peels off. And he starts punching the couch.I don't know if I'll send you the footage and you can put it up on your potty.
But yeah, he was freaking dirty.Gets his keys, goes, I'm going home.John, leave me.Don't touch me.I'm going home.And he left.So poor Brownie.Anyway, we'll leave the Brownie stories for another potty.But yeah.
Oh, he's a good man.I gave him a winner today, actually, the Jets.I said, just load up.
Yeah, he said.He told me this morning.He goes, man, reckons you're a gun with that stuff, man.
We're starting to find our niche now, but, um, horses, we've got a big, we've got a big head, big task ahead.We've got Derby, as we're recording this guys, Derby day coming up, Cup day, Oaks day, Stakes day.There's a lot of donkeys out there, mate.
So we just, I think I'm going to stick with number 11.Have you seen number 11 went on Saturday? I'm just going to stick with number 11.That's my theory this year.Anyway, let's get into it, mate.
I used to run, so I actually am very passionate about catching up with you today.
What, distance or sprinting?
400, 800, staked as a young kid, then played football, but running was always my thing.I love running.I've got a lot of questions about running.So I want to start with running, like just growing up.When, you know, when did you become the man?
When did you know you were so good and, you know, where it all started for those out there?
I don't think you ever know.I just love sport, Tommy.Like for me, I just wanted to be a sportsman.It could have been ping pong, darts, whatever it was.I just wanted to be acknowledged for sport.Just loved it.I think I just love the competition.
I love the adulation you get from people.My old man, I was his biggest fan and I love my dad and my dad loves sport and I think I just want to make him proud.So it just didn't matter what I did.
As long as I had his adulation, I felt, well, this is, how cool is this?Right.And I was the youngest out of three siblings.Um, I did little A's when I was a kid.
And then like everybody, I just never, well, not like everybody, but I got to an age, like 11, 12, I was good when I was eight and nine.And then when I got to 11, 12, I didn't grow, everyone grew.And then I just struggled.
You know, I was just a little, little kid.I was freaking 41 kilos, man, really small kid.And. Went into boxing, um, and I started fighting when I was 12 and my first fight when I was 12.And then I really didn't look at athletics until I was 19, 20.
Oh, really?Two years later?Yeah, I started running when I was 20.
Yeah.And then, so I was boxing and I did like school carnivals and stuff.So I knew I played rugby and I knew I could, I knew I could run.I knew I wasn't slow, but I wasn't no prodigy or no, okay, he's going to be rugby.
The AIS or, you know, programs you were just living in Perth.
in Perth and they never, they didn't, I remember when I ran my first 400 when I was 20, I actually reached out there and they kind of laughed at me like, like, you haven't, you're nobody, like you haven't gone to juniors, you've done nothing, like, so, and then I just sort of read books on how to run and ran at the, trained at the park and then
made it to nationals and then when I got to nationals I found out who the good coaches were and then asked them to train me and they said yes.
I flew to Sydney and then lived on my auntie's couch and then started training with Matt Shervington and his training group and then it just sort of went from there.Then I made world champs that year.It's like within... What year was that?
So I started running in 2002 in August and then I made world champs in 03.So in eight months, nine months. Yeah, never ran before, no juniors, none of that, so.
Yeah, brother.But that's why when you asked me a question, where does it come from, I think I just had a will, like a really strong, I'm a strong head and strong self-belief. You know, when I do things, I put my mind to something.
I hate when people tell me no, I just can't cop it.So just try and... Just driven.Yeah, just, man, I don't know if it came from boxing because I was scared fighting as a kid.
Like my first fight, I remember crying in the corner, looking at my dad going, what the fuck are we doing here?That'd be me. Like, why are we here?We don't need to do this.This guy's trying to kick my butt.And then you get used to it.You spar more.
You spar older guys in the gym.You go to other gyms to spar.And you really got to know yourself, man, when you're that young.And it's pretty daunting, man.So then when I went to running, I was just wearing spandex, running in a circle, man.
And no one's touching you, brother.So it's easy work, man, you know what I mean, compared to fighting. Yeah.I think, I think that's where it came from, man.Just in boxing is boxing.You can't talk, you got to back it up.Right.
So you can say as much as you want, we're going to fight.So you can say whatever you want to say to me, we're going to step in the square circle.We're going to find out the truth.The truth will find you when you step in that square circle.
So when it went to running, I knew that, that in order for me to be good, I had to back it up and I had to bust my ass.So I think that's where it pretty much came from.
And how did you know you're a 400 meter?I mean, you did 800 as well, right?But like 400 was out of all the events. the good questions, right?Well, I was just thinking it's the hardest one.It's the hardest race.I chose fucking poorly to be honest.
Can we swear in this podcast?You can do what you want.Sorry.It's all pre-recorded, so if you're not happy with something at the end, let us know.Otherwise we can go wild.I'm going to call you the one who can't handle this.
I'm trying to speak the truth, but... Yeah, but 400, it's a tough event.Well, I chose poorly, man.I don't... My head was I wanted to be world-class.
I just didn't want to make an Australian team and I wasn't... I was quick, but not quick enough to be world-class in 100.
And I don't think in the 200 as well, but I felt in the 400, I had enough guts and determination to make up where I lacked for talent.So I don't think I was a very talented athlete.
I think I had a very good work ethic and would turn over every leaf to make sure I got the most out of myself.
And the 400 allows you to do that, where with 100 you need to be gifted by God a bit, you know, to match with the Bolts and the Gatlins and the Murray Screens and those Noah Lyles and those sort of guys.You can't miss the start, you're done.
Like, it's just ridiculous.You just need to have a lot of, you have to be gifted to get to that level, to be in the top, sort of. that top echelon of making finals at Worlds, you've got to, yeah, it comes from your old man's penis, mate.
You know what I mean?Yeah, you've got a big arse.
You know what I mean?So, yeah, but we're the 400, you can sort of make up for where you lack a bit, I reckon.What was your strength with your 400 run? I had good speeds.I had good 100, 200 meter speed.
And my technical model was very good, how I ran off the curve down the back.My race model was always very strong.And that's really important when you get to the top level.You can get away with it at school and states and nationals.
You can sort of just be strong or fast and still win.But when you get to Olympic level, you kind of have to have a good race plan and know your sectors really well and be able to run off a curve.
be able to hold and on and like for the layman that watches sport they think the gun goes off when you just run um but there's a lot of technical things you do in into in a race which allows you to run at a top level.
Can you break them down because some people out there would have no idea what you're talking about.Yeah it's just it's just you know
stride, length, hip position off a curve, sector times between each sector, so you break the 400 down to four sectors, how you'd run off a curve into the backstretch, where you want hip position down the backstretch, what sort of noise you want your foot to be making down the backstretch, so you can keep sort of like a rhythm, so you understand your rhythm, so then you can hit the time you want through 200.
how you run into the curve, so where you want your hip position into a curve, so if your hips are up and your feet is forward, then you won't start running behind yourself around the curve, because you're fighting inertia and gravity around the curve, so then you start to sink, and then when you get to the home stretch, that's when you start to decelerate more, because your biomechanical wheel starts to shorten, and then your stride length plus frequency equals speed, so you try and keep your stride length as big as possible,
try and keep the frequency there and that's how you get the speed.So there's just little hand positions you do into the curve, off the curve.
It's amazing.I've just, I've never heard someone break a race down like that.I'm quite passionate about racing.You know what I mean?It's, uh, it's, it's, it's, it's amazing insights.
Yeah.But you would understand, you, you know, you, you, you play, you know, top level sport and there's, there's a lot people don't understand.They don't know anybody.So that's why, you know, you have couch experts, right?
Now, I know we're going to talk about a few things, but for everyone out there that doesn't know, look, I'm sitting next to a gold medalist, 400 meter runner in the Australian Commonwealth Games.
You're based down here in Melbourne at the G, you know, talk about pressure and that.But I'm just thinking now, you started so late and you won that gold so early, really.
Like, you know, people run for their whole life and they build up and they build up.Some people, you know, 15 years they're going just to get to an Olympics or a Comm Games. Now you won gold.
Talk to me about winning a gold medal, um, for your country in Melbourne.
It was dope, man, because.Oh, three, I made world champs.I met my coach, my American coach.See, I begged him to train me because he was training Maurice Green and Otto Bolden were two of some of the greatest sprinters in history.
And, um, and he trained Parekh who raced against Kathy Freeman.Um, he was a legend coach and I begged him, like, it was like trying to ask the equivalent of. Phil Jackson to coach you in basketball, you know what I mean?
It's like, it's unrealistic, you know what I'm saying?Yeah, yeah, yeah.And I flew to America and I begged him and then he said, yeah, cool.And so I lived in a car for a little bit and just try to make it work, you know what I'm saying?
Living in a car, like... Yeah, I just parked the car, man.And then me and my boy, and we just, yeah.In an actual car?
Yeah.Not a van?Nah.You're just sleeping in a car?
Yeah, put the seats down, man.And then he had a girl, he had a friend who worked in a demo, like in an apartment complex and they had a demo apartment.So we'd go there, shower up, and then we'd get a hotel for one night, two nights a week.
It was like 30 bucks.Because I just didn't have any money back then, you know what I mean?So I just, but I knew I had to be with this coach to, to make it.Yeah. And then I went to Olympics in 2004 and got the silver medal in the relay.
And that got me a little bit of chips, you know what I mean?So, but it was still not enough.And then, you know, then I really started training in America and I struggled, man.I just, the culture in America and just,
being away from, I was soft man, a soft kid, you know, like I wasn't, it really hardened me being there.And then the American optimism and the guys I trained with, all they had in their head was winning.
Like even guys who were worse than me were telling me how they're going to win Olympics.And I'm looking at them like, yeah, you're delusional, right?And that's what a lot of the media said when I came home and I'm telling them these
grander plans I've got, and they're thinking, I'm delusional, right?
But in my head, I'm like, I've been around this for the last six months, and my coach, the only thing he's talking about is me winning Olympics, and he's the greatest coach in the world.
Um, and then I went to world championships that year and made the final at worlds.And at that time, and it still is the second Australian to do so in history.And so I'm thinking, there's only seven people better than me in the whole world.
And I'm going to Commonwealth, I should get a medal by the time I get to Commonwealth because out of the seven people that beat me, only five of them were in the Commonwealth in that race.So I'm thinking at least will come sixth at Commonwealth.
That's what my head thought.Cause I'm like, well, there's only five.And if I beat two of them and I get better in six months, I'll at least get a bronze.That's how my head did the math.
So by the time Comm Games came around, yeah, God blessed me and I was able to win the darn thing, man.
And then, so then you're right, I went from making the final at Worlds in 05 to winning a medal at Olympic Games in 04, to then winning two golds in Commos in 06, then making bread after that, because I was- The man.
I was, well, I just talked, I talked a lot, so- We'll talk about that in a second.So then, and then in 07, I finished number three in the world.So in my head, Of course I'm going to think I'm the best in the world.
I've got the best coach in the world telling me I'm the best in the world.I'm beating pretty much everybody when I race in one day meets in Europe.
I'm just having won world championships, and in 07 I got hurt, and then after that I just kept getting hurt, and then I just really... I think I reached my maximum potential.I have no regrets in my career, but I'm just devastated.
I still believe I could have won an individual medal at Olympic Games, and I watched my training partner in 08 win. We got him in to be my training partner.And I watched him win a bronze medal in LA because I got hurt before the games.
And I'm like, shit, that should have been my head.Like, you know, like you go, that should have been my medal, man.But that's the way the cookie crumbles, brother.
And when I look back at my career, I'm super pumped because I'm just a kid from Perth, man.I started at 20. Got to see the world, travel the world and be able to sit here and talk about it with you is truly humbling, man.
And I'm so, so grateful for, you know, the life I've had and the opportunities I've had in my life is crazy, man.
It's crazy.Anyone that can sprint, you know, run fast, it's, there's nothing harder in the world.You know what I mean?Like, you know, Usain Bolt, he's, he is the king.Like if you're the fastest man in the world, it's, it'd be
the coolest title of all time.There's LeBron James and Michael Jordan, but you're the fastest man in the world.And especially in your event at the time, which you were.
Now you just spoke about you making bread, but before you made the bread, I want to talk about the expectations heading into Melbourne.You know, what was it like?
You weren't as experienced as all these kids that had been in the system for 10 years, because you'd only been going for a little bit.But like you said, you end up winning gold for your country in Melbourne.
What was it like, the pressure, especially the final, and you know, you doing your thing, talking it up, like, was there a point where you actually truly believed you would win it?Or were you still talking a bit of shit before the final?
No, I felt I'd win it when I ran the heat, like the first day, like, I ran the heat, and I felt like I was gonna win it, like, two, three weeks out, I felt, I just knew how well I was running at training, and
And like I said, when I boxed as a kid, that pressure is the worst pressure.So running never really got to you.
I got anxious, but never got nervous.
You would understand that.
I understand that.You're not scared for your life.It's more like, and you also run times.You're like, I've already done this.It's not as nerve wracking.I've just got to run my time.
And you're knowing in here that I just gotta execute?
So you're more anxious about executing because you get shitty at yourself if you don't execute.So like for you, if your coach said, hey man, this is the strategy for today, I want you to execute this.
You're not so worried about your opponents, like as long as I execute what I need to do on the field, then... You're all. Your role, right?Play your role, do what you know best, do what you've trained.
If you do all that, the result should take care of itself, right?So that's what I was more anxious about going, John, don't let the crowd, I mean, the G had 96,000 people in it.
Man, and it was like, I remember in the race, in the final, when I came around the curve, the roar was so loud that the hair stood up in the race, in the back of my neck.It was the most surreal, crazy experience I've ever had in my life, man.
One of, one of?One of, yeah.
One of.Is there a moment that you still just chase with certain things of your train and you just think about that or you?Nah.Nah.You just, you just remember that.And that's just the, that's the high of highs.
Yeah, it was, it was, and there was heaps of different, like, highs, man.
Like, there was, like, winning a bronze medal at Worlds, the relay team in 09 was mad because I saw three young guys and being able to be part of a team and influence the team was super cool for me.
So I couldn't imagine, because I was always an individual athlete, how good it was being part of a team was really cool for me.So I always remember that, I always remember that as being really awesome. Yeah, the calm gains was craziness, man.
I can't explain to you, because at that time, no one thought I could do it.And I knew, and my camp knew I could do it.And I was paying $17 before the race even kicked off, man.So the odds were juicy.
You probably could have won that.Get on that SportsVet feed and whack that arse.
Isn't it crazy how much betting is featuring in this podcast?
Well, yeah, it is featuring heavily, but yeah, I mean, that's what makes the, uh, the Olympics.We was making it very exciting, but there's no odds around, but mate, yeah, to do it in your own country.
Like, you know, so I get real passionate about our Aussies and Olympians because I see.
You know, when I played football, I was a bit like you, like I got injured and I was only 26 and everyone always told me, you're meant to be in your prime and everything went wrong at the wrong time.And it's like, my body let me down.
And it's like, I had more to give, but maybe I didn't.But I just kept getting shot.It's frustrating.It's frustrating.And it's a different kind of frustration.So when I watch the Olympians and they break down in a final or a semi and they miss.
But you get it.I get it.I think, oh, That's like 10 years of pain because they've worked so hard there.And I see people fall so short.So it's such a hard thing to do.And I just respect our Olympians and anyone that does individual events.
The amount of work you do behind the scenes, no one cares about until the big day.And that's why I get so passionate when I see a goal and I go, oh, that's special.
And then it's gone into that.No one would know until you get it.But I think because you've been there too and you've seen it, you understand that top level, nothing changed with these table tennis starts.
When you're at a top, top level, you have to do all the one percenters.It's just the way.
You have to do it everywhere.But I think individual events, there's not like, especially we'll talk about, you know, the athletics industry in a second, but the funding's not there like there is with team sport.
You got one coach, but you don't have, you know, you have a bad day, personal things happen.You've got to keep going.You know, if you get injured, you've got to keep going.
It's just, I just understand how much pressure and how hard it would be as being an individual athlete.And it's just cool to see when people get the reward, you know?
Yeah, definitely.It's hard because the couch experts will say, well, if they look at your record, they say, well, you haven't, say for me, you haven't won an Olympic individual medal. People like yourself can understand and respect, man.
If your body lets you down, it lets you down, right?But if you show pedigree and you know to even get to that level in the first place is hard enough as it is.
And maintaining it makes you respect people like Usain Bolt and like these guys are able to stay at the top level for so, so long.Like you said, that's where the adulation comes from.You really respect it and understand how hard it is, you know?
But yeah, it is frustrating, man.Like the body, people don't really understand.You can have all the self-belief in the world. You can have the best training in the world, but if the body says no, mate, it's over.
I know, especially for a sprinter, you know, you need those muscles.
Man, he's the worst brother.Now let's go through something funny.We'll pause there.We're going to come back to you saying your relationship with him and a little bit more about Athletics Australia.But help me out with this.
So John is a happy John, a fast John. It's a crime scene out there, man.Talk to me about this.I don't reckon Brado knows what I'm talking about, but he will when he searches the clip online, because that went viral.Tell everyone about what this is.
I said, did Brownie goes ask?John is a happy John, a fast John at the start of the podcast, and I forgot to.But I need some context to this.So tell us about this one, because this is gold.
Someone dial triple O, man, because it's a crime scene out there.Pick up these little boys.
Oh, yeah, man.No, I had a bad year.This was 2012.I'd had a bad year in 2011.So I'd led to Australia, and they kind of wrote me off a bit.And it was my first race back in Perth.
And they put me in the worst lane, and they were talking up these young kids, and I just felt disrespected.I felt upset.I was upset.So I said to my coach, listen, let's put a bit of speed work this week, because I want to give these guys a smack.
And I ended up winning the race, and I was doing an interview afterwards, and I don't know where I got the line from.I watched it somewhere.
Some athlete said it, and I just said, yeah, man, I mean, it's a crime scene out there, the way I murdered these little boys, man.Someone has come, dialed triple O and come pick up these dead bodies, man.
Is this after winning the race in the post-match?
Yeah, after winning the race, man.Yeah, and... Yeah, it was... Did it all hell break loose? Yeah, yeah.I don't know.It was a different time back then.I was really Americanized, man, the way I went about my sport was.
So I think in Australia, it's like, you just don't say that or do that.
They're like, who is this arrogant bloke, man?To me, it was entertainment.To me, it was like, well, it's funny to me.We all giggled.All my training group, we found that funny.We laughed.It was great.
But yeah, by the people that were just down in there, it was just weird.But for me, I was upset because I was like, At that, it's 2012.I've been, what more could I've done in the sport?
And you put me in a shit lane and then yeah, try and disrespect your boy.No, it's not going to happen.I don't mind what shit happens.
That is awesome.We are a bit soft these days.I mean, that's a movie quote and it's very funny.If a comedian said that, it's all play on.Yeah.I heard it.I heard it went wild.
And, uh, cause Brownie told me the other day, I said, what are you talking about?He goes, ask him about it.That's so good.Did you smoke him as well?
Yeah, I did good.I was really good that day.
It was a good year for me.But I worked so hard, man.
After 2011, I was soft and just whinging and making excuses.And I ran hopeless in 2011.And then 2012, went back to the drawing board. went back to LA and just focused, had the team with me and lived in a house.So that was my first race back, man.
So confidence is everything in sport, mate, and you've got to be your biggest believer.If you're not, man, and especially in individual sport, give it up.So you've got to You've got to believe everything you say and everything you do.
So, um, when I went out there, man, I was just, I was ready for war, brother.That's how I looked at it.I was like, every time I raced, he's like, it's war, man.Like you're taking food off my table.So that's the way I saw it.
And, and I think, I mean, you correct me if I'm wrong, but in an individual, you know, sport, it is important to be a bit of a showman, isn't it?Like you need to, you need to get your brand out there.
Cause you don't have a big, you know, there's not like a big window, you know, there's such a, It's a fine line being at the top.It's hard to stay at the top for long.And it's something you did really well.You were quite outspoken.
We'll talk about the Athletics Australia stuff in a second and how that's come full circle.But you talked about making bread after 2006.Talk to me about not making bread.What's that look like?You know, you're talking living in your car, no cash.
How much can you earn and where are you making your money?Endorsements? Like what happens in the sport?
I'm actually so interested for a young kid now, clearly it's changed, but how does he, if he gets to the peak of his powers like you did after winning gold at Commonwealth Games and you're on all these ads and whatever else, what does he need to be doing?
Yeah, it's a tough gig, man.And again, you have to be a brand that they can sell to, right?That's why sponsors get around you that if they feel you have cut through with their demographic, they're trying to sell to.
At the time I was, you know, a lot of my partners that I was with, I was really blessed, man.You know, like straight off the Comm Games, I mean, I had a plethora of sponsors, man, from Qantas to Dexian to Swiss to ASICS and And my life was the best.
Before that, even though I had an Olympic medal, I still wasn't earning any money, man.You know, it was just because no one knew who I was.It just was a perfect storm.
Com Games, being in Melbourne, winning, being a bit of a firebrand, speaking my truth. It was unheard of at the time.It was headline grabbing stuff every time I said something.And so a brand, that's what they need.
And it just happened to work for me, which then allowed me to be able to capitalize financially on it.But for a young kid now, man, you can see Olympic gold medalist or silver medalist and they still be lucky to make, lucky to make, man.
for the year.It's hard, man.It's hard business, man.It is brutal, man, for federated sports.Not your big commercial sports, but more your federated sports, like your swimming and your running.
And then you have a select few that do well, that do okay.But that's the exception.That's not the rule.So that's where That's where it's hard with federated sports and these young kids.And you do it most of the time for the passion and adulation.
You do it for the credibility for yourself because you love the sport.So that's pretty much how it... how it sits with federated sports, man.
Yeah, but most of the money comes, should come from your federation or your local sponsors or for athletics, mostly it's from your apparel partner, who you run with.
That's if they're interested in you or you're running world-class times to make money in athletics.So Nike, Adidas, Asics, Massey, they're the main ones.Yeah, now you've got your on-running coming in.
Puma did a big push the last four years, but now they're sort of retracting back into lifestyle again.Nike's having a bit of a push again.I saw they pulled out of golf to go harder at running or no?
Yeah, they stepped out of track a bit and limited how much track events they got amongst, but they're still big in the rec running space.That's the big one for apparel partners is rec running. So your, you know, your marathons.
With everyday people, right?
Correct.Not everyone can be Olympians.Correct, man.I mean, there's not many people running around wearing spikes, cuz, you know, so.Nah.You know, it's thanks to running.Hey, hey, I was.You know, do you ever run at stall?
Yeah, mate.So you know Barry Foley?
I don't know Barry Foley.
He won two store gifts.Okay.Anyway, I'll play him in a documentary.It's actually meant to go there.It's potentially going to be on telly soon, mate.We're trying to get seven and put it up.
I thought I'd plug it tonight because I haven't mentioned it, but I've done a full reenactment role.I don't have to talk.It's like the movie Gallipoli.If you go on YouTube about this, it's a genuine documentary about a guy
Um, that gets very ill as a kid and then he, you know, he comes back and wins two gold gifts.
One of the greatest races in the world still.I think that's my opinion on it.
Did you ever, did you ever race it?
Mate, I was a $1.50 favorite to win it one year, tore my hammy in 2012.And then everyone said I faked my hammy tear and it ruined my whole Olympics, but I wasn't meant to run it.
I just, I went there, they paid me to be there and I went there to go run.And then, um, I ran the heat and then. And I was paying 30 bucks.Yeah.Cause you can punt on it.Punt on it.It's paying 30 bucks before the heat.
Won the heat, then won the semi and beat the favourite.Yep.Then shortened to $1.50 in the final and tore my hand in the final, man.Oh, so you raced in the final and did it?Yeah, tore my hand, it was all scratched.
I did get that up.Yeah, the bull stall gives.It's about a mile, man.Used to run a bit down at stall.
400 metre run, actually, as well.But stalls, it's the richest event.Foot race in the world.
In the world, isn't it?Outside of the professional stuff.That's what they say, yeah.Yeah.Even in the professional stuff, I don't think there's a foot race that pays for a one-off race that much money.So I think it's the richest foot race ever.
I have to show you this doco, mate. But I'm, I'm keen.I'm very amateur.
What years are based out of?Like when did Barry do his good work?1970s or something.I'd have to get it up.So it's like chariots of fire type style, or is it like more like Steve Prefontaine style, like flares.
I'll show you the trailer quickly.It only goes for a minute and a half.I just want to shoot your reaction while we're here.And you're the main character.I've been, it's me dad's best mate to produce.And he goes, I need you to play the role.
I didn't know what I was doing.And, uh, so you're out there striding out and everything. Put it next to your ma.That's pretty cool, man. Ready to go.
Full docker.So you have any luck with Seven?
We just sent it to him the other day.Big shout out to Jinx Productions.But yeah, we're just starting to talk to him now about store gifts.So they might chuck it up beforehand.Or if they don't want it, we'll speak to someone else.
But you might know someone we can talk to.That's brilliant.
Yeah.What do you think?That's actually really cool.I really like.I think it's not often you can.That's what our sport's lacking, right, is those stories.And I was actually thinking of Josh Ross, because he won two store gifts.
as well and unfortunately he doesn't I don't think he really gets the um the recognition yeah and it kind of and I feel for the guy man like he's probably one of Australia's greatest ever sprinters we've had like overall both amateur and pro and so when I saw that I was like that's pretty pretty cool man that you know that Barry gets that recognition that he obviously deserves cool story too I yeah I think that's the beauty of sport everyone has like they've come from something man
You know, and not often can everyone tell their story, you know, so doing stuff like that is alright.
I just know how hard Greg, you know, worked on that and, um... It means a lot to him and his family because his mother passed away from rheumatic fever as well.And he's a big sprinting family and all that, but it's been done really well.Yeah.
So anyway, I just thought I'd show you, I haven't shown many people, but that's on YouTube.But yeah, if you want to look at Barry Foley.
Did you watch that sprint documentary on Netflix?I did.
Loved it.I love athletics.I think athletics, if I could get more coverage of it, it'd be better.Like especially, you know, track and field, I could watch it all day.Yeah. They had the finals on every week.
Like when you guys go to Europe and you're racing, where do you watch it?I've got no idea.I've got friends that are athletes.
But if you could watch these events, especially the finals, I don't think we need to watch the heats, but the finals and they get that on.
Streaming's good, but if they can get a full production just for that, like you get the Olympics on the last day when all the finals are on.
Oh, I love it.With the crowd as well.I mean, Olympics was, I'm the hardest marker on our sport.And I was in Paris this year for the games. the very first time I actually thought, bloody hell, the sport's cool.
I think the Olympic level and that competition is supreme.
And even Budapest World Champs was, well, I'm a hard marker on the sport, I think it's quite boring in a lot of elements of it, you know, but you're right, when you get to watch that Olympics, the very best.
When the stadium's full, mate, and everyone's cheering on and roaring.It's cracker.And if sprinting wasn't Like, interesting.You wouldn't have the halftime race at the AFL.I don't know if they had it this year.
They still have it, yeah, but they could do that better.That's not competitive enough.But it's still cool.Like, people are still interested in seeing mano-a-mano racing.It's why we love horse racing too, if you think of it.
It's like people competing and they... Someone wins, right?A foot race.It's pretty cool.Yeah.That's why Stahl still lasts.
That's why Stahl's so good, because it's still handicapped and anyone can win it.Correct.But yeah, nah, it's good. Let's go back to you, though.When you make all that bread, you're living in LA now, brother.You ain't in Perth.
And you know how much I love my American sport.I'm going to LA in a couple of weeks, so I know the lifestyle.I haven't lived it up like maybe you, but I know friends that have.Now, tell me some cool stories over there.You're good mates at Usain Bolt.
I mean, surely you boys are just rock stars when you're rolling around all these nightclubs, poppy and whatever else it is.Where are you living?Are you in West Hollywood?Are you driving around in these gyms?Where's the tracks?Are you going to USC?
Tell me the lifestyle you live at the top.
You're out of control, Tommy. Tell me the last thought at the top.Man, well, listen, as a kid, I was a big fan of French Prince of Ballet.He was my muse.That was my goal.So I ended up living in Ballet with a friend of mine.That's nice.
Yeah, that was some cool days.Dan Bilzerian territory there.Yeah, man.And he had a SL55 he gave me.And so I was rolling around.Then I lived in Beverly Hills, and I waste a lot of money, man.
You're preaching to the choir, I'll tell you what.
The currency's horrific as well.But no, I was earning US, so a lot of my contracts, but I was, brother, that's a whole other podcast, me telling you that.
What'd you blow the most money on?
Oh, bro.I'd say that shit on you.No, no, no.I think cars was probably my weakness. Yeah, cars is probably my weakness, man.Like, I bought a Porsche 911 before I even bought a house.And I bought that shit in a tracksuit straight after training.
So, you know, like, that was just what I wanted.I mean, it sounds conceited talking about it.I mean, I sound like a prick, but it was just, man, I grew up. like obviously having nothing.And my goal, that motivated me, like that stuff.
And the more cars I had and I went down to my garage before training, it motivated me to train even harder because I was like, okay, I want that car next.So then I would be like, I'd see them and I'd be like, okay, I want something else.
You know what I mean?Like that's what motivated me.So it wasn't just like a status thing when I'm driving the streets, but I was young, I was 23. And I'd rather do that shit when I'm 23 than do it when you're like 53, man.That's not really that cool.
But when you're like young, it's like when it really... I think when it really matters, man.But yeah, LA was just the nightclubs, man.You'd be partying next to Leonardo DiCaprio.It was just bottle serve.I never did that stuff before, man.
It was just... It was just wild, man.Like, I can't explain it to you.It was just, and you make good friends and LA became my second home.You know, your restaurants and the Hills came out back then, the TV show.
Yeah, yeah.I used to watch.I love that shit.Yeah.We'd go to the beach.
It was just so silly, brother.But it was, but it was cool, man.Like it was, LA is just like, if, if you, if you have money and you like, they, they cater for you, man.Like they really do.
So it was, it was, yeah, it was some of the best years of my life, man. I really enjoyed it.And I reckon that was the best years of America, like the the noughties, like sort of like from 2000, 2010.
I think that was like the best years, especially living in LA, man.It was super duper cool.
Yeah.And what would be your favorite?Like, did you get into the sport?Would you go down, did you go to the LA Lakers and all those games?Or were you just more, just train and then maybe go to a club?
Yeah, I'm more trained, go to a club, but I really got into the college sport, man.
Because I was training at UCLA, like, you know, the Rose Bowl, and it's, like, huge, and, like, USC, UCLA rivalry is huge, and it's just, I'm all got into that, and I'm a massive boxing fan, so you're, like, your four hours to Vegas, and heaps of Aussies will always come to train for boxing in America, and then go to Vegas, and, um...
And, you know, like for instance, like there's always guys training with our group, man.And my boy was helping out Kobe Bryant.
So I'd see Kobe a lot at the clinic and Barry Bonds, the baseball homerun hitting king, he used to come train down with us.
You know, you're constantly seeing, you know, Alex Rodriguez, like you're constantly seeing other big names and like real celebrities, right?Especially in American sport.
So that was, again, confidence building, and you're rubbing shoulders with these legends in their sport telling you you can be even better than them, and they give you little words of wisdom.
So I think LA and America really helped me with that self-belief as well, and sort of what to be driven for.
What would be your best advice to a young athlete in terms of that self-belief that you learned from the Americans?
I mean, it really is self-belief.I mean, you cannot listen to anybody else and what barriers they put for you, right?Because they don't know you.
At the end of the day, whatever decision you make for yourself is the decision that is right because it's a decision for you.You can't make a decision based on what someone else thinks what you need to be doing.
And I think that's people be going, what are you talking about?If you think about it, every decision that you make for you has to do with you.It doesn't really affect anybody else when you're talking about your sport.
But the biggest thing is having that self-belief in you that you cannot put limits. That is crazy.If you don't know what your body's about to achieve, you don't know what you can achieve.So why even think limits?That's just stupid.
If someone tells you, oh, you can't achieve that or that hasn't been done before, that just gives you an opportunity to go out there and do it because no one's done it before.
So I think that was the biggest thing in America where it was like there was never a limit.It was always that plus more.And if you didn't reach that, you pretty much reach somewhere you're never going to reach anyway because your goals are so lofty.
So it mainly was just having that full self-belief that once I put a lot of my mind into something, I didn't really care what anyone else thought.I really did not give a shit what anyone else thought.
I just knew that that's something that I wanted to do and that's something that I could achieve and I didn't listen to no one.
It's important because a lot of people got opinions.They don't know anything about the work you put in and whatnot.Yeah.I mean, it's different if it's your coach and he's with you every day.
But in answer to that too, man, if your goal isn't unrealistic to you, then it's not big enough because it's hard getting the goal anyway.So you've got to make your goals as big as they possibly can be so you can get the maximum out of yourself.
And I think a lot of people don't.They're too scared to make a goal too big because they're scared of what other people think of their goal. So they just don't make it to be.
They make it attainable enough where the other person goes, oh yeah, that's a hard goal.But yeah, it makes sense.They want to make it make sense.But I don't think you need to make that your end goal, your overarching goal.
I think the little goals, the mini goals to get to that goal have to make sense.But I think your overarching end goal has to be as big as it possibly can be.
Otherwise, Usain wouldn't have come from a country town and become the fastest man in the world, right?Because there was no reason why he should have ever been the fastest man in the world.His height's too big to run a hundred.
He's slow out of the blocks.He's from the country.His parents never ran.He's from a low socioeconomic area in Jamaica, in the country, three hours away from Kingston.So why the hell is he going to become the fastest man in the world?You know?
Yeah, I agree.I met a guy not a while ago, but he, His biggest thing was think big.And it was like, I've said it before, think big, double it, triple that thought, think bigger again.
And the whole purpose of it was just to blow up the concept of your dream and make it so it almost feels like it's impossible.Nothing is.But Tommy, if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you.Yeah, you wouldn't have done it.
I'm not sitting here saying I'm the greatest sprinter.No, I'm not saying that at all.But I wasn't that good. And even if you look at the history of the sport, I wasn't that good.I was a good runner.Don't get me wrong.I was decent.
And I was able to hit world class at certain stages of my career.But imagine if I made my goals small, I wouldn't have got anything out of my sport.So by making them as big as I possibly can, I overachieved for my ability.
And you and I are sitting here.
Yeah.Opportunities come.Now you're in Stan's Sport for the Olympics and you're talking about the running as the king.I mean, play on.
I want to talk about Usain Bolt because I've never met him and I can't wait to meet him one day, but you're great mates with him.How did all that come about?You've got great energy.I've heard some good stories.
These are the things after sport that you love.It's the relationships, but you and Usain, where did the bromance start?
2005, he made the final world championship in the 200, I made the final in the 400.
And what happens in then, you end up getting shipped away post-world champs to different meets, because now you're in the top eight in the world, so then the meet promoter wants you to race at an event.
And he had a mutual friend that I was very close to, and he was close to.So then, because now the season's over, we started partying together. And we partied and we had a good time.
And then we didn't really talk in between that for the first three, four years.You never really talked in between every season break.So then we'd always meet up after the season, party again.And we're really more party buddies, right?
We just enjoyed partying together.Oh mate, you didn't get any scraps from him, yeah?Mate, you thought Brian Lara was good in the slip cut.You should have seen the sniff.
I was going to become a Julian Tanascula one day.
So yeah, we were good mates.I would have been good at partying with him as well.He wouldn't have seen me after nine.I would have cut you loose.
No, no, so he was still quite young, and my mate, he was also a good athlete, and he was Jamaican, and we just got along really well, and Asafa Power was the man back then as well.Oh, he was the man.
These are big names you're bringing up.
Yeah, bro, so we'd always kick it, and then he came to Australia, and then we spent more time, and then it just grew, like it just grew, where we just, yeah, we just became closer, we went away more, we did different things together, and we did Nitro Athletics together,
You know, he's just, you're saying he's a gift from God, he's a unique individual, man.Like he's just a divine individual, man.
Like in all things, how he goes about his life, how he goes about his friendships, how he, he's a really unique human being, man.
You know, and it's, I do think, I do think like he was putting this earth to run because it's, yeah, none of the stuff makes sense.And just what he's been able to achieve, we won't see in our lifetime.We will not see.
in our lifetime, what he achieved in the sport.And I think your kids won't see it.
Yeah, I don't think so.No one will break his world records.Well, three Olympics, three gold.Don't worry about, don't worry about where he, where he, they lost the medal through one of the, in the relay, where one of the guys got banned.
But three, so four by one, one and two in 08, four by one, one and two in London, four by one, one and two in Rio.Over 12 years, it's, Let alone you saw Noah Lyles this year, he couldn't do it.And you know it.Mate, Noah's good, mate.He's not bad.
He's not Usain Bolt, but he's good. And no one else, Carl Lewis tried.I mean, it's just difficult.So I just don't think you'll see that.Over 12 years, man, think about that, winning the 100.
And modern medicine, and everyone's getting quicker and faster and stronger.And he's world record time.Do you reckon we'll see it broken?
I think we might see that get broken, yeah.I think we'll see that.But that doesn't mean much to me.Records are meant to be broken in that sort of sense.
You're more saying the ability to back it up and get those golds.
The ability to back up three Olympics, win three medals, gold medals, and know that you have three other guys in a relay team that are willing to run as fast as they can to then win a medal against all the other countries.You're not going to see it.
Because you've got to rely on three other guys in a relay for three Olympics.Like, that's pretty hard.That's what I'm saying.I don't think you'll see three golds by an individual over three Olympic games.
No, we're so lucky.It's crazy.
Correct.Correct.And that's why I just think it's, that's why I say I don't think your kids will see it as well.So we're living in a time where we got to watch a guy go to three Olympics.
You know, and the funny thing is, in Rio, he wasn't even going to run.A lot of people don't even know.That's an exclusive.Oh, really?Talk to us about that. I don't know if I should be, but... We can get him on.
We can get him on dummy dogs when he's down.But a lot of people don't know, before the games, he was severely hurt.Like he was, yeah, his back was playing up, and sheer courage of the dude, man, comes out and then smacks him three gold medals.Yeah.
Two days before, he was pretty much... Done.Pretty much here on the ropes, and then, yeah, he was finding it hard to walk, and then goes out there and gives them the business.
It's the stuff you'd love to see.
You talk about these documentaries.I don't think that Docco did it justice.I'd love to see a second Docco covering all that stuff as well.
Imagine the camera in the room there.
I think he's got footage on that.I'm not, I'm not sure, but I remember I was spending every day with him in Rio and um, and uh, yeah, he was, um, Yeah, he was pretty amazing man to see him go.It still trips me out to this day, to be honest, yeah.
When is he coming to town next, the big Usain?I'm trying to text him now, man.Get him to send a video about Tommy Talks, exclusive.That's what I'm saying.Jump on Tommy Talks, man.What are you doing, man?Wake up, big fella.
It would be big getting the king in here. Nitro Athletics.I've got a couple more things I want to talk to you about, but Nitro Athletics, talk to everyone about what that is, who was involved and how you set this up.
Uh, man, so look, Nitro came because I just felt like the sport needed it and it was quite boring at the time.And, um, it was more an entertainment model.You know, at that time I did Celebrity Apprentice, um, in 2013 and then- Runner up, I see.
Yeah.Steph Rice.Steph Rice.
Were you rolled?I was rolled, mate.Let's stay here for a second.Were you rolled?That'd be a pretty cool experience, The Apprentice.
It was mad, bro.Bit of an entrepreneur.
What was your favorite part of it?What's something that TV didn't show?Cause they're a bit, you know, reality TV.Give me the insights to The Apprentice.
Bro, I don't, it's hard to, mate, Steph and Dawn Fraser used to have blow ups, mate.
Yeah. And it wouldn't go to air?No way!Mate, the language, brother!Popcorn stuff?
I giggled, like, oh my days, because it's dawn, she's an old lady, bros, and staff man, they would just throw the gloves off, bro, and just be getting at it, and I'd be like, oh my days, ladies, no! That was wild stuff, man.
It was hard.It was a hard show, man.They wake you up early in the morning.Mate, you work all day.Like, you're legitimately raising money, mate.That's not fake.Like, you're legitimately raising money.So, you're legitimately... Hey, Tommy.Listen, mate.
You reckon podcasting sponsor us 10K? Like you got a cold call flat out trying to raise money.And Mark Boris was a hard marker.And yeah, it was, it was Jeff Finney.Cause he's my, he's a good mate of mine, Jeff.And he was hilarious.
Cause no one can tell Jeff anything.So Jeff would just spaz out halfway through, half of the filming.Ah, that's it, I'm out, I'm going, stop me, I'm going. Just crack that shit.He was cracking it.No one would say anything.
Jeff would be in his car, go home.
Jeff, come on, bro.Come back.
But then Jeff would raise a whole lot of money.Jeff's a good man like that.He'll go out, raise a whole bunch of cash.And no, Jeff, it was a unique experience, man.But look, Steph had to win that show.So I think Channel 9 had signed her.
But the good thing is they shouted to Dave Gingell.He was the boss at 9 at the time.And after Mark Boris and him had a chat, Mark looked after me. could do with that after mid and they gave me Wild All the Sports.
I did Wild All the Sports for five years after that.Yeah, which is dope, man.Shout out to Ginz, he's a top man.
He's amazing how the opportunities come, you know, you don't win, but you get the, you're going to win afterwards.
Yeah, they were good to me, man.Like I, yeah, they just, yeah, I'm truly, again, man, I'm truly blessed, man.I'm no one, brother.So, you know, you're not no one.
The train used to look up to you as a kid down the back street to see my action on the Barry Foley docker. Don't come from old Johnny Stephane in the back with the big long locks.
No, mate.And I remember I sucked at wide wall.I remember Ginge goes to me, he goes, um, uh, Johnny, um, listen, mate, uh, we love you, mate.We love what you do.And, um, we know you got a right hand, mate.We know you got a right hand.
You throw it a lot, right?Cause I was always in the media.If I get in trouble, he goes, but look, you need to learn to jab a little bit, mate. He goes, look, we'll tell you when to throw your right hand, but just jab it, mate.
You're going wild with the sports.Only 250,000 people watch the show.So if you're shit, mate, we'll just roll you off, mate.Oh, that was my first experience.
It's a good way of putting it.A couple of jabs.Not just headline every time.
Yeah, but he said, bro, we know you can throw a right hand.He goes, and I agree with you.He goes, a lot of the times I agree with what you're saying.I get bureaucracy, and I understand it.Like he goes, don't think I don't get it, right?
And, um, and that was great.Kenny Sutcliffe, Tim Gilbert, Michael Slater.Um, they really took me under their wing and, um, and really, really started polishing me in the media.Likewise, where they'd never try to change me.
They're like, we love how you are, who you are as a man, what you stand for, your principles.And, uh, and just, just let me be me.And I remember Kenny used to say to me all the time, um, he said, son, you, you, you, you just need time.
You just need time behind the camera and just take your time and, and things will work out for you.But yeah, that was a unique experience straight after Celebrity Apprentice, man.And again, man, a young kid from Perth, started running at 20.
I watched Max Walker when I was a kid on Wild Holder Sports and all of a sudden now I'm co-hosting Wild Holder Sports at the time.What a trip, man.How surreal is that?From immigrant South African parents, man.
to Australia, and then here I am on Wide Order Sports, which I think is the sports show in Australian TV history, Wide Order Sports, and on Channel 9, and I'm co-hosting it.So that's a trip, man.Yeah.And that's nuts, bro.Yeah.
And you get a bit of adrenaline when you're live on telly.It's not like- Mate, that show was every Sunday, live, after the morning show.Static studios.So those that understand, so there's no audience.It's just an empty studio.No autocue.
and for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half.So you're doing your throws to break, you're doing intros out of break.You're throwing to the camera, you're not even- I'm not throwing to the camera.
Yeah, you can't even see, I know exactly what you mean.It's not as easy as you think.
And I'm interviewing you, and I've got to know you.Welcome back to Channel Nine's World of Sports.We hope you're enjoying your Sunday morning.
Look, it's been a very interesting time the last six months, watching the world of football, and we have none other than Young.And you've got to placate this whole atmosphere, because you're sitting on the couch, hungover. Oh, big time.
You know, you're watching and I didn't know what I was doing, bro.
Learning that is such a hard skill, man.Oh, yeah.
And I think what I've learned from doing a little bit of stuff with Seven this year, the camera that's on you is above the screen of yourself.So you're kind of, you're like fighting, you're fighting your eyes from looking down.
You're like, I want to see if I have any big choppers looking, you know, there's any food in there. I'm like, you see your screen there and then you're like, I got to keep looking at that camera.
Cause that's what everyone can say.
It's the little things that you don't understand.
I remember they, they did, they gave me the, they, um, they said, do you want to do, um, um, they gave me the weekend morning show.So weekend today show.Read the sport.And at the time it was football or what's his name?
Um, man, sorry, I'm not going to waste your time, but he was AFL football player and, um, mate. It was horrendous, bro.
Because the autocue shit, I was just... And you read the same thing every half an hour, so it's not nothing new, but I was just so horrible, man.I think I did one weekend and then they rolled me out.
That's great.Um, all right.Athletics Australia.Yeah.I'll give everyone the context, but 2006, you win a gold for Australia Commonwealth games, 2010 comes around and you boycott it.
You don't even go, you're like, I'm not going.Yeah.You know, we spoke about how you quite outspoken.Um, you went head to head with Athletics Australia, but now you sit on their board.
Talk to me about what I just started with and how it comes to where you are now.Yeah, man.Um,
I just felt like athletes at the time had an elitist sort of approach to the way they treated athletes.They had favorites, and I never wanted to be a favorite.I just wanted to be judged on my merit.And they still didn't do that at the time.
So I'd just come out in the media and say it.That was taboo at the time to do that sort of stuff.And they had the power. They had the media, there was no social media at the time where you could speak your truth and tell and give some context.
The story would come out, the public would believe them, they would justify that I bought the sport and disrepute, and I'd get a six-month ban.One ban, I fought and won and spent $16,000 fighting it.
I got a senior counsel and a lawyer to break down their constitution to try and win that case, and I won that case. Um, and then the second time I didn't even fight it.I just took it.And then the third time I, uh.
Again, I was doing Celebrity Apprentice and I got the news filming Celebrity Apprentice that I was banned for bringing the sport into disrepute in London, talking about equality and racism in our sport, which I felt was quite prevalent at the time.
And now if I spoke about it today, it's cool to talk about it.So, I mean, I experienced, like everybody does, you experience things in teams and you jog on.I experienced racism all the time.
getting called Jungle Bunny and Jigaboo and I mean, all these sort of things, brother.And I'm a man, man, I'm hard enough.Like I dealt with it.So I would want to fight, you know, I'll deal with it.
You know, and then I became friends with a lot of these guys that did this stuff.That's just what happens.It's not, it's life, you know, you don't, you don't, but what I got upset about, don't say it never happened.
Don't, don't, don't, don't now tell me that, The way I'm behaving and why I want a room by myself when I go and I'm getting ready for a comp or why I don't trust certain things, don't question that now and pretend that doesn't happen.
Don't pretend you didn't have, they didn't have favorites with who they selected because I didn't want to be their favorite.At the time, I wasn't even taking money off Athletes Australia.
So they were meant to give me money and I'd say, now give the money to another young kid that needs it because I was making money. And then there's times they have given me money towards the back end of my career as well.
So I'm not saying that they didn't, but at the time I wasn't taking anything from them because I didn't want anything from them because they never gave me nothing to get here.So you don't need to give me something whilst I'm here.
Give it to the kid that needs the money.I needed it when I wasn't here.I don't need it now.So, and then there was just, you know, Danny Corcoran was the CEO and I think he's, I don't have much good to say about him. And he's got to live with that.
And Dallas O'Brien, same thing.I don't have much good to say about him too.So I don't, I don't have respect for these men.
So, because the way they handled themselves, the way they spoke to me on the phone, and then the way they conducted themselves when the push comes to shove, you know, and the same goes for a few board members that are on there.
And there's been a lot of good people too, but I've, I've, I've gotten over it because my, my thing was like I do my athletics is okay, move on.And then let's find a solution.Let's, let's get better.
And that's why when I had the opportunity to join the board, I did because I thought, okay, now's the time to make the changes in the constitution.Now's the time to give a young kid the opportunity, the opportunities that I was complaining about.
There's no point complaining about it and then not doing anything about it.So I complained about it.Now an opportunity to make the change.So then get your hands dirty, Jay, and get involved.So. I got involved.I'm not a bureaucrat.
You know me, you hung out with me.I know what the man I am.I know I've got sharp edges at times, and I know I have my flaws as a man, and I know that, and I deal with that every day, and I understand that.
But my heart and my loyalty and my honesty, I try and live by honesty, loyalty, and respect.I try and live by that.They're my virtues I live by every day.And so I only ask for that back.
And if I'm wrong, I'm wrong, and I'm always willing to put my hand up if I'm wrong.That's not a problem.
So, you know, working with Athletes Australia, the good people that are there recognise that, and we've been able to come a long way in the last five years under the helm of Mark Habib, who was the present old sports labor minister for Australia.
He's become a very good mate of mine.He's like a brother to me.And he really polished me when it comes to board governance.I had no idea.And he really helped me with my businesses now that I'm able to do globally now.He really matured me.And again,
sort of rounded my edges a bit when it came to that corporate C-suite lifestyle.But when you're talking about now purely with the sport, I still consult to the sport now.
I stepped off the board and I work with their commercial department, so I bring them in money.That's where you don't just complain and whinge.
Yeah, I like that, that you get your hands dirty and you do something about it instead of saying something.
And if you can bring more eyeballs to the sport for the younger kids that want to be like Barry and want to be like Usain and come up and be in the sport, this will help them.You know, we see Chemist Warehouse, they're really good at their marketing.
You know, Brett Robinson, Brooke Bushnell, you know, Tory Lewis, all these younger names, they're now doing adverts with Chemist Warehouse and stuff.They would probably never get that opportunity if it wasn't for the partnership.
So this is really good for them.We talked about how they make money.This is a way when another brand sees them with Chemist Warehouse, another brand goes, okay, cool, like Swiss Malti Vitam.It's like, oh, cool, let's get Tory.
You know, maybe she would never got that opportunity if she wasn't which AFL does very well, there's a lot more mediums they can sell themselves.So we need that.So that's where I wanted to get involved.
And constitutionally, I think you've seen we had the greatest results at Olympic Games and medals this year at Olympics and at World Championships.
And so, you know, all the changes that were made in five years, it took time, are coming to fruition now.And that was by a few board members that got their heads around, like Mark, and put their head around it.And then we talked about Nitro.
We created the competition, which was just merely an entertainment product, like Survivor, because I did that show.Sorry, we sort of digressed a bit.But I just wanted to make a show that was entertaining.
Back in the day, there was a show called It's a Knockout.And it's just fun.And that's what Nitro was meant to be.And who better to get Usain to be the face of it? And it really wasn't really about athletics.
It was more about creating like a reality TV show for athletics where people could follow.Because it's hard to follow athletics at times.There's no scoreboard.There's no teams.It's very, very hard to follow.All over the world.All over the world.
So it was just a teams-based competition where the individual results didn't matter more.The team mattered.And then, yeah.And we rated really well.I think we got 1.3 million viewers on night one.I think 900,000 night two.
And then 1.2 million night three.That's great. Yeah, it was great.And, you know, Kerry Stokes is a big fan of athletics and he got behind it.It was a massive financial and emotional supporter.
And also, you know, Tim Warner and Saul Stein, everybody from Channel 7, they were very, very good in supporting the vision.And Bruce McIvaney jumped on board and helped.It was just a good time, man.It was a great time.
And that's a whole nother podcast if I tell you the story why I didn't continue.Yeah, it was pretty sad, man. But look, it was, again, Australia led the way in being a bit different and bringing out a comp like that, which is cool.
It's great, man.I appreciate you breaking all that down.So Australia's in great shape?
I think so, man.I think they've got a new president now in Jane Fleming and she's got big shoes to fill and it's going to be a tough I mean, it's only down from where it is now, so they have to be very careful.So watch this space.
I think Simon Hollingsworth, the new CEO, he's a good dude.He ran Olympic Games, I think Barcelona, in the four hurdles, understands the sport.Good guy, really, really, really good guy.
I think he'll do a good job, and I'll do my best to support them as much as possible, mate. It's hard for me, man, because if I don't like someone, I speak it, mate.That's that rounded edges, mate.You've got to round the edges.
They all tippy-toe at times around me, man, because I don't know what I'm going to say.But, hey, mate, if it's the truth, it's the truth.
You might be the wildcat.You might be the wildcat.A few wildcats in the building.I tell you, now, I've brought in a few options here.You don't come on here without a present.
I know you're going to the races.
Stop it.You mentioned the word cherry, so I've got a couple of options.Stop it.Now, mate, I want you to try all these on.Try them all on.I've got you some Rick's eyewear. I've got different ones.Look at this.
You can look at yourself.
Oh yeah.Steph, look at the little red number belts.
Now there's a few options out there.Cherry number, baby!Keep them on for me if you want them ones.Hold on, hold on, hold on.
Oh, you want the Austins.
Now that's a bit feminine, that one.Nah, it stays right there.They're brand new.I thought you might like the Bostons.And they're the brand new Nolas.They're a brown number.
A little matchy-matchy, don't you think, Bob?The brown on brown.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.That's the grouse. Have you watched Peter Rubin before, Bros?Nah, haven't.Well, how old is it?I'm only 30.Peter Rubin's a new movie that's out now, man.I thought it was back in the day.
He's furs brown and he wears a brown jacket.It's a bit matchy-matchy. See the glasses are browner, your brother's browner.
Jeez, you're looking sleek though.
You like these ones or?I like both.I think the little cherry number's a bit sexy.
Yeah, I think they both look great.
Hold on a sec.Let's go back to the cherry numbers.
Now tell me which one, be honest, man.
I think cherry with that T, a little red and red drop.
Or you think the brown joints, mate?Get Braydo with the mic.What do you think?Fingers down, Braydo?
Oh, brown for Braydo.A little matchy-matchy.
The red with the red shirt, I agree with that.But if you change it up, you can keep both, surely.
Yeah, you can keep both.No, man, we can't.We gotta give them away, surely.One of your listeners, man.Usain, get Usain in them, surely.He loves his glasses, UB.I reckon he'd be a big fan of the Bostons, just quietly.Oh, we love him.
But he's a big man, mate.
We've got the large in Boston and so anyway, mate, so leave them on for me.Thank you, mate.Now we always ask our guests and thank you so much for coming on and telling your story, mate.As you said, it's only a little bit.We could sit here for hours.
Um, but we, uh, but I want to know, Rixon Tour, you've traveled all around the world, mate.
We always like asking people where they would take the Rixies, uh, around the world and, uh, why, where's the coolest place you've been in the sun where you could rock the Rix? You reckon in your lifetime?
Oh, mate, coolest place.I think, I mean, I don't, I don't think it's the coolest place, but some of the cool memories in the sun, uh, I'd have to say Greece, man, in the Greek islands.Like I've had, I've had a bit of fun there, man.
That's been pretty cool, but I've been blessed to go to like, a number of places, man.South of France is always cool.I think even Oz, man.
There's some really, like even in Australia, like in Perth, like, you know, being like, you know, Cottesloe Beach at the car.It's so good.Like, I'm a, I chase the sun, brother.I hate the cold.I can't do it. You're in Thailand now, right?Yeah.
I'm spending a lot of time there now in the Middle East and then come back to Oz and, but yeah, I'm loving it, mate.Like I, uh, Thailand's beautiful too, man.Some of the islands there is just magical, man.
Yeah, I got a mate that sent me a golf proposal.It was like the cheapest golf trip ever.Four days, like.Where, in Waihin or in Phuket?I can't remember where it was, but it was like, it was, it was the nicest course.He sent me a video of the, um,
of the whole package, but pretty much people like carry your clubs for you, the course is private, your food and all that, and fly.It's cheap as chips as well.
Mate, it's cheap and they really look after you if you go out there and play.They understand the hospitality part, the tyres, they do a really good job of that.So I think when you're playing golf, I mean, there's nothing better.You go with lads.
caddies, carts, everything's included.They clean your shoes, the clubs.It's a good trip, man.That's why I asked if it was Waihin or Phuket.
I'll ask him after this and I'll let you know.
Good courses in about three hours outside of Bangkok.It's pretty cool.But no, I'm loving it, man.Look, again, man, every day above ground is a blessing and the opportunities I have in my life is super cool, man. I'm super-duper blessed, man.
I take nothing for granted, brother.I love it.And what do you do day-to-day now?Well, I run a series of different businesses, some in sport and some in civil infrastructure, and a lot of it's overseas.
Again, the Australian stuff has a lot to do with Athletes Australia and then the sports stuff in Poland and the Middle East as well, working with
A couple of their federations out there with their commercial partners, and a little bit in high performance, the sports, a tiny bit.But then mainly just, you know, we do a lot of natural resource trading out of the Middle East as well.
and some of the civil stuff and innovation and tech stuff through as well.So I have a company called Fresh Start and under Fresh Start sits a lot of these companies that we have acquisition and been partners with and stuff like
early educational kids books and chew toys as well, because it's made out of sustainable rubber.So everything, a lot of it's in a renewable space as well.So in renewable energy as well, we do a lot of stuff.
So renewable energy ecosystem, and we sort of go into different grids and yeah, it's pretty boring stuff, but over the years, we've been able to acquire a pretty good network around the world and do a bit of work with the Royal Family out in Bahrain, which is pretty cool as well.
that opens up a lot of doors when you're trying to, you know, incept these sort of different businesses in China, especially in developing nations.
So, um, you know, that, that's the serious hat that I put on, but most of the time I'm joking around and being a clown, mate.Yeah.I like that.The couple of days of serious stuff.I've done no serious stuff since I've been in Melbourne, man.
Very hard at the Cosmopolitan. Cosmo doesn't provide serious jazz.I've had a bit of slack, but again, that's what we talked about.That's that ability to be able to switch hats.Switch it on, switch it off.I love it, mate.
But a lot of people only get to see the fun.That's what they want to see anyway, mate.No one wants to hear the boring stuff these days.They want to hear the stories.
They want to see where you and Usain were in Greece and what you're up to.
Again, that's another podcast.I don't know what time it is.I don't know if he's in New York or he's in Miami.I would have got him to tell the stories. Yeah, there's one for after dark that'll have you in stitches.
I'll tell you tonight, man, I'll have you in stitches.
Tell me tonight.We've got a week ahead, a cut week ahead.Before you go, leave the sunnies on, and just tell me one more thing.The hardest thing about a 400-meter athlete, but the training.
I forgot to ask you, but we used to do MAS and 150s and one-lappers and time trials, and there's things that used to make you feel sick. But I'd imagine your training program in a 400 trying to become, you know, the number one in the world there.
What was the hardest session you ever did?And tell me, break it down for everyone before we wrap this up.
Again, you know, you said it well, it's the lactic acid which kills you and our events only lactic.You're going into lactic whether you like it or not.That's not an option.And you know that every time.Every time.It sucks.Every time.
Every time, every race, every training session.Well, two out of the four training sessions, specific track sessions, you're going.
Did you ever think, like, did you ever become comfortable with it or not?
Yeah, I did, yeah.Oh, you did?You learn not to throw up after a while.Because number one, I didn't want my training partners seeing me... Weak?Weak. Two, I didn't want my competitors seeing me weak after a race, so I learned to control it.
Plus the perfect race is you're only going to Lactic with a metre to go.That's the perfect race.So if you're in Lactic with 15 to go, you either gone out too hard, you're not fit enough, the race plan was wrong.
So if you're going to Lactic that far out, you've messed it up. So the goal is to go into lactic with a meter to go, that's the perfect race.
So you train for that and then you push yourself and then learn to control that lactic, what you eat, how I ate before.
There was a lot of preparation, but I think the worst session would always be a lactic speed endurance session would probably be maybe Uh, three, three fifties or, um, flat out three, flat out resting between, uh, it depends.
You'd have eight to 10 minutes rest between.So you go hard as then have eight minutes to go again.And it seems pretty easy, man, but you're in lactic, the first rep.
So, and you're covering, so you're doing the first rep in 39, three for three 50, which is you're running pretty much 11 seconds. 100 per hundred.
And then when you want one on one 38, you're running 10, nine or 10, eight, you know, through, through every hundred.So you're in major lactic, man.And then you've got to then get your head around and you've got to do it again.
And then you just, the lactic is just three eyeballs, man.And, and, and, or, or, or, or doing reps like you do a 300, 350. And then you rest 90 seconds and then do all out 100.Yeah.And it's just, it's just, you're just thinking why?Yeah.
And then the weights room after, this is where I would struggle.
I could, I could brain myself on the track, but that the weights room, I mean, I was good when I had a coach with me, but now it's like, oh, oh man, I learned tricks after a while and, and I'd go home, sleep. come back afterwards.
Yeah, I have a meal, go home, you have the lactic headache and lactic sleep.Yeah, yeah.
You know, so you go home and you do that, and then you wake up, I'd have a physio live with me, he'd cheer me up, go to the weight room, and smash out, yeah, and a lot of our weight was strength, conditioning, and speed and power.
A lot of cleaning jerks and all that.A lot of snatches, cleans.And they're dangerous lifts.Like I remember doing a couple of them over my head, 70, 80 kilos.And I had a certain coach early days at Freddo.
And man, you're talking like one, one mistake and that thing's hitting you in the head and you're doing, it's not easy.
No, it's all bad.And, and you're looking at your back and, you know, and I had back surgery and there's a number of things you need to do right.And yeah, that was the, the, I, I quite enjoyed the weight room.
I didn't mind it, but I always did my weight room after. track where most people would do their weight room before track.Really?Oh, we always did lifts after.
But when I went to America, they did it before and I had to have a chat to my coach and it took me like a year to tell him because he's the best coach in the world.How do you tell the best, hey mate, you know the shit you're doing.
Phil Jackson, hey mate, can we change those plates up?I'm not liking those plates.I'm not trying to be in Jordan work, but they don't work for me. So eventually, I don't know how, I think it was like I travelled a far to use, like, yeah, cool.
And I started lifting at night and it worked out well for me.But yeah, I loved, I actually didn't mind the weights sort of side of things.I can tell, have a look at the pulse on it.Have a look at it, boy.
I mean, you're making me look like an absolute pretzel.Again, mate, the training was, you know, as you know, you get to a point in your career where you find things that work for you.
And yeah, the weight room I always felt was an accessory to my running.It wasn't a Wasn't the main, main character, you know what I mean?Wasn't the main thing.
Well, mate, those 350s, anyone out there that's having a fair dinkum crack on the piss this week, I want you to wake up the next day, get down to the local track, do your 350, have eight minutes off and do it three more times and then text in.
But mate, Johnny, thank you so much, brother.Thanks, Tommy.
Pleasure, mate.Thank you so much for coming on.
As I said, it's awesome to speak to you and I haven't spoken to someone in depth about, you know, just the, even just you talking about the technique off the bend and all these little things.
It's so insightful, but to everyone that tunes into the podcast, we hope you really enjoyed this one.Usain Bolt will be on next time.Johnny's told me he'll be popping in.That'd be, geez, that would be big for Tommy Talks.
That'd be big for Australia.I reckon he'd be a fan.I reckon he'd be grateful to be on this show, to be honest.Oh, grateful, man.
We'd have to roll out the red carpet.We'd have to get that wildcat on here as well. But thank you everyone who tunes in.All the best.Cup week.I'm not sure when this will be out, but I hope you backed a few winners.I hope you're enjoying life.
And yeah, we'll see you next week on Tommy Talks.Don't know who it'll be, but you have to subscribe and find out.Cheers. Aces, I know I always go on about the Rixies, but I got huge news.
We have all our styles and colours restocked on the website right now.Get online, grab some sunglasses at rixeyewear.com.au right now and use our little discount code ACES if you want a 20% discount code on the house.
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