Olympic and world rowing champions Hamish Bond and Eric Murray were candid and honest during a Q & A session, talking about their partnership, their success and the pressure they are constantly under, and opening up about the personal toll on the lives of their respective wives and families.
The four gold medals the duo have accumulated (from the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janiero Olympic Games) did the rounds of the sell-out 450-strong audience, photos aplenty were taken and those present were privy to anecdotes and insights perhaps never previously told.
Our other speaker was Mick Colliss, the vice-captain of the Australian team which contested the 2008 World Sudoku Championships in Goa, India. Mick’s true story about his unflagging ambition to wear the green and gold of his country had the crowd in stitches and he certainly lived up to his billing as Australia’s most in-demand after dinner speaker.
For the record the Australian selection finished in last place in Goa while Colliss, in the individual section, was 89th and last. However, as he told us, that meant he was ranked inside the world top 100!
Capping the night was a highly-polished performance from the 8-piece band Studio 54 with the dance floor heavily populated during that time.
Close to $90,000 was raised for the Foundation’s work in identifying world-class medical research at a catalyst level through grants and scholarships.