If their performances in Paris were impressive, their subsequent undertakings off the track while maintaining a full-on training programme are nothing short of remarkable.
Bryony and Emily were each awarded a HPSNZ Prime Minister’s internship scholarship in 2024 and with the newly integrated level of flexibility in the programme, were able to defer the start of their internships until after their Paris campaign.
Both women ended their Paris campaign and immediately embarked on a training programme and competition for the October Cycling World Champs. And for both it marked the start of their internships.
Off the back of a Bachelor of Social Science majoring in Psychology and Marketing, Bryony joined the team at Velobike, a specialist cycling equipment company for elite cyclists and weekend warriors, to help manage its social media content, marketing plan and data analysis.
“I initially started the internships doing two to four hours per week to get an idea of the company and then after the World Champs, started a four-week, full time role in what is a small company with no permanent marketing team,” says Bryony.
“I loved it and enjoyed putting my learnings from study into a real-world scenario.”
Now the Velobike internship has ended, Bryony has embarked on a fixed term role with Basketball NZ working as part of an established marketing team as it gears up for the Tall Blacks vs Phillipines international later this month.
“This role has been done mostly remotely and has a lot of diversity,” says Bryony. “I helped with the process of creating their Annual Report, am helping gather content for the big screen at the Tall Blacks game and generally helping where I can across PR and Marketing.”
Bryony says working with a sports partner has been interesting to get a look behind the scenes at what really happens and how a major event is pulled together.
A day in the life of Bryony while she is undertaking her internship roles is daunting. “I’m generally up at 5.30am, out the door for a run by 6, drive to Velobike to work from 8.30 to 3.00pm, drive to the Velodrome for a training session and then bike home.
“There’s not a lot of down time for sure but the internships are incredibly valuable. I feel I now have a place if I had to quit cycling tomorrow. It’s helped me know what I can do and that I have a back up plan. It has made things less scary.”
To add to Bryony’s schedule she is also back at Waikato University studying for her Masters of Management Studies in Marketing and a Bachelor of Communications majoring in PR.
Emily’s story is equally as impressive with her internship at Skills Development Group dovetailing with the end of her Paris campaign, while training for the Oceania Champs this month and Nations Cup in Turkey in mid March.
With a degree in psychology already under her belt, Emily jumped at the chance to intern with SDG, a longstanding HPSNZ partner.
“I was keen to embark on postgraduate studies in psychology, and this internship is a fantastic chance to learn more about people and capability, gain exposure to organisational psychology, and ultimately figure out what area of psychology I want to pursue,” says Emily.
It’s a golden opportunity for the 25-year old who has been cycling since she was 12 and admits it has been her whole life.
“High performance sport is all consuming, and it’s very hard for athletes to pursue a career outside of sport because they have so many commitments. As a result, I’ve missed out on many workplace exposures that young people have. For example, the interview process I went through to apply for this programme was my first-ever job interview.”
For Emily, building awareness of her skills beyond cycling has been invaluable. Like Bryony she says athletes are just one injury away from having to stop doing what they’ve spent their whole life doing. “It’s helpful for athletes to be aware of their capabilities and strengths to make a Plan B.”
HPSNZ Performance Life Coach, Hannah McLean, has been instrumental in helping athletes including Bryony and Emily develop dual careers, a process she says enhances wellbeing and athletic performance.
“Developing career and identity outside sport are two of the key factors that contribute to athlete wellbeing and successful transitions,” says Hannah. “It gives them a wider perspective on life, enables them to see a future post competition and explore different ways to gain financial security. Coming off the Paris Games and looking ahead to LA in 2028, it’s been important for athletes to have a post-Games plan.”
