CREW MATES

Sport teaches us many lessons, and none more so than Amber Halliday and Sally Callie...

WORDS ANDREW GUERIN

PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID MARIUZ

Ämber Halliday and Sally Callie (previously Newmarch) were members of the Australian 2004 Olympic lightweight double. Despite their world and Olympic best-times in the preliminary rounds, they returned from the Athens Olympics without a medal. What they did come back with however were the skills, the mental and physical strength and the focus and determination to enable both to survive and recover from severe brain injuries. Their stories are remarkable.

Both athletes hail from Adelaide, the coastal city on the southern stretch of Australia.

Sally began rowing in 1992 as part of a talent identification program. She won silver in the single at the Junior Worlds in 1993, and went on to become a triple Olympian winning three World Championship medals in both open and lightweight sculling events.

Slightly younger and starting later than Sally, Amber fought her way to the top with determination, focus and a great eye for detail. Her first international competition was at the 1999 U23 World Championships, where she won the lightweight double scull, a boat class that was to become her home. Amber became a dual Olympian, taking home a Nations Cup Championship, three World Championships and other World Championship medals in lightweight doubles and quads. In addition she would serve as a member of the FISA Athletes Commission from 2004 to 2015.