The Engine of The New New Zealand

A sporting chance

To say Olympic gold-medallist rower Hamish Bond is competitive is an understatement. To say he’s one of this country’s shining rowing stars is another. While we’re at it, here’s one more: Hamish works quite hard. The result of all this? One of this country’s most successful sportspeople today.

Together with rowing partner Eric Murray, he remains unbeaten since the pair teamed up in 2009 and today they dominate the New Zealand and international rowing scene.

But despite the intense demands of the life of an elite athlete, he’s found time outside of his eight hours a day of training to swap his oars for books.

You don’t get that good by sitting on your laurels (or medals either, because that would be uncomfortable). So he’s been doing some full-on time management/juggling, including sitting exams in the oddest locations (hotel conference room in the capital of Slovenia anyone?).  With the help of Massey’s distance learning programme he’s graduating this year with a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in finance and a Graduate Diploma in financial planning. While still taking on the best of the rowing world - and winning.

Hamish's story

No mucking around

Hamish went straight out of school into the national High Performance Programme, and then went on to  win his first world title in 2007.

There’s no going back from that! Together with rowing partner Eric Murray (also studying at Massey), he remains unbeaten since the pair teamed up as coxless pair rowing partners in 2009. They dominate the New Zealand and international rowing scene.

In 2011 they were nominated for team of the year at the Halberg Awards (which ended up being won by the All Whites), and named world rowing crew of the year. The year was topped by their qualification for the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

For the past eight years he has been studying business as well. Hamish will finish his Bachelor of Business Studies (Finance) and Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning in 2012.

He says after studying commerce subjects at school it was a logical progression to continue in that area at university, reinforced by its ability to fit well with his training schedule.

“It’s just not feasible to do something too restrictive. Studying business at Massey gives you the option to not study for a semester if you’ve got a busy sporting schedule, then simply pick it back up again. I guess there’s sort of a synergy between sport and business studies too, with sport management a growing area.”

That’s why many of the elite athletes studying at Massey choose business studies for their major. Hamish graduated in April 2012 with his degree – and says he really enjoyed his time at Massey.

About sport at Massey

Massey’s distance learning programme, and the support provided by a dedicated Academy of Sport programme means that many of New Zealand’s most successful high-performance athletes are studying for their futures at Massey University.

Massey was the first university in New Zealand to be named an ‘athlete-friendly’ university by High Performance Sport New Zealand.

That’s because we’re not just about great facilities and getting good grades, we’re about the flexibility to be able to fit the two together and supporting you to achieve your best.

Hamish says it is the flexibility and support that he receives at Massey that has made a huge difference to his ability to study successfully.

“Time management is the biggest challenge as a sportsperson – fitting study in around training. “

“In times gone past you’d have to say there wasn’t an option to pursue sport solely like you can today – that’s helped along today by scholarships, and grants that mean you can be more dedicated.”

“But having tried to study on-campus, I’d have to say that the flexibility of Massey’s distance learning programme is definitely the way to go.”

The Massey University Academy of Sport has been running since 2006, and gives athletes access to support in psychology, nutrition and physical conditioning, as well as academic support to help you optimise your sporting and academic careers.

About distance learning

Massey has been specialising in distance learning (also known as extra-mural) for over 50 years, and we are the experts in helping you complete your studies through on or off-campus study.

We want you to succeed! So we provide heaps of support and tools to help you do the best you can.

Of course the main benefits are that you can study from wherever you are.

But if you study with Massey you are also taking advantage of our experience and years of development of great tools and support to help those studying from a distance.

We’ve developed a leading-edge online system called Stream, through which you can easily access course notes and chat to other students/lecturers.

We have a large number of dedicated support people to help you with managing studying at a distance, and any challenges that arise.

Although don’t just listen to us – the proof of the proverbial ‘pudding’ is that over 90% of our distance students rate our services as good or very good (Student Experience Survey, 2011).

All this, and an internationally-recognised qualification at the end of it all!

Hamish Bond

Olympic Gold Medallist

Bachelor of Business Studies (Finance)
Graduate Diploma in Financial Planning
Massey University 2012