A journey that started with running on the Otago Harbour track now has a future on the watery world stage for two tertiary students.
Coaches have a knack of unearthing talent so when Otago University's rowing coach Glen Sinclair looked out from his office last year to see two tall, fit and athletic students pounding the pavement, it was a no-brainer in trying to recruit them for his women's team.
"I noticed these girls running past a couple of times but this time they had stopped to walk," Sinclair recalled.
"I ran down the stairs, chased after them and asked, 'do you want to row?'"
And just like that, a remarkable journey began for Manaia Butler and Hannah Matehaere.
After just one year rowing for Otago University, the duo have been selected in the New Zealand Universities women's eight who will race against Australia in July for a trans-Tasman test.
It's a feat the pair agreed is far from what both of them would have dreamed despite their sporting backgrounds; Butler's achievements have previously been in the pool while Matehaere is a former New Zealand Under-17 basketball representative whose dad just so happens to be Brent Matehaere — the Otago Nuggets' championship-winning coach.
"I thought I would have been playing basketball forever but this, this is a full u-turn," she said.
Not only is their rise up the rowing ranks impressive but it's especially staggering with the pair also juggling 5am wake-ups and intense study as medical students but nothing about hard work or taking up a new sport has scared them.
In fact, at the University Championships in Whanganui last year they came away with four gold medals, winning in the women's novice eight as well as the men's novice eight, the women's tournament eight and the women's novice four.
"It was pretty successful — I think we were a bit shocked," Butler said.
That led to a full summer with the club and after just over nine months Matehaere and Butler have won every women's eight event in university rowing.
"Jumping straight into our senior eight this year is incredible," Sinclair said.
"Actually, I won't say jumping in — we've got 40 females who want to make that top eight and girls who have represented New Zealand and stuff who haven't made it, and these girls have earned their seat."
Now, a seat in a black boat awaits the duo as well with the pair now under the eye of staff at Rowing NZ such as international pathway lead Fiona Bourke and pathway coach Mark Stallard.
"So thankful," Matehaere said.
"Starting at university, I never would have imagined this would be my life but I'm enjoying it so much."
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