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Two ÁñÁ«ÉçÇø alumni - Rhiannan Brown and Lachlan Bayliss - represented their country at the highest level during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. We caught up with Lachlan post his Olympics debut to discuss his experiences, the challenges he faced, and his journey from ÁñÁ«ÉçÇø to the world stage.

Can you describe the moment when you found out you would be playing soccer at the Olympics?

I was actually told that I didn’t make the squad initially by the coach. About a week later, I had just finished training with the Newcastle Jets and saw I had a few missed calls from the head coach. I called him back and he asked if I wanted to be a part of the squad - I was over the moon! 

What was the most memorable moment for you during the Olympics, both on and off the field?

My most memorable moment was starting the first game against Guinea. It was my 22nd birthday and I found out the day before that I was going to be playing, so I was very excited. I ended up playing 80 minutes and got the match winning assist to put our team up 2-1, which was New Zealand’s second ever win at an Olympic game. I feel privileged to be a part of this history.

Off the field, I really enjoyed spending some time in the Olympic Village and seeing Nice, Marseille and Paris itself.

How did you prepare mentally for the challenges of competing against the world’s best athletes?

I think it’s important not to put the athletes you’re competing against on a pedestal. Even though I played against some of the biggest talents in football, it’s still a level playing field. You are all human at the end of the day. You can only control what’s in front of you. I just stuck to my usual routine and didn’t overwhelm myself with the occasion, while trying to appreciate the experience for what it was.

What lessons did you learn from your Olympic experience that you will carry with you moving forward?

I think my biggest lesson is that sport and football in particular changes very quickly. One minute I wasn’t in the squad and the next I was starting the first game at the Olympic games. I ended up playing important minutes throughout the tournament, and I showed the coaches and the team what I can do.

It was also my first camp with the New Zealand team, so I came into a group where I didn’t know anyone, which was intimidating at the start. But I learned to be vulnerable and open to the group and that formed a tight bond between the team.

What advice would you give to current students who aspire to reach the same level in sports or any other field?

To reach this level it’s important to understand the disappointments and to truly appreciate the journey you go through to get to this stage. Nobody ever has a smooth ride, I’ve had many lows so far which I believe is why you have to appreciate the highs because they don’t come around too often. But the beauty is life in sport changes quickly from one day to the next.

How do you stay connected to your passion for soccer, and what are your future goals within or outside the sport?

I always remind myself that I have the best job in the world and am one of the fortunate ones to call myself a professional footballer. I have loved football since I was a young kid and it is all I wanted to be when I grew up, so I’m happy to be living out that dream. My future goals within soccer are to play at a World Cup and earn a transfer overseas. I want to show the competition what I can do this season and see where the next step in my journey takes me after this.