Episode 30: Jordan & Alyce Wood — Aussie Olympians Empowering Refugees to "Bike to Belong"
Meet the two Australian Olympians are backing the fundraising ride for Toowoomba-based refugee charity You Belong to support settlement programs in the regional Queensland city.
The world champion Olympic kayakers Jordan and Alyce Wood are promoting the Bike To Belong ‘virtual’ bike ride during World Refugee Week from June 13 to 20. The pair are busy training for the Tokyo Olympics while throwing their support behind refugees and migrants settling in Toowoomba.
Toowoomba is home to thousands of refugees from South Sudan, Congo, Chad, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria.
You Belong provides a wide range of services to help them settle in Australia, from welcome picnics, home visits, and community events, to post-trauma wellbeing workshops and English language lessons.
“You Belong is doing great work helping refugees to adjust to their new lives in Australia,” said Rio Olympic finalist Alyce Wood. “We are thrilled to help them spread the word about Bike To Belong.”
“We are super excited to share our love for sport with these new Australians, and we will be taking some of their enthusiasm for Toowoomba to Tokyo,” said K-4 world champion Jordan Wood.
Anyone can register and ride as much as they like – on a road bike, mountain bike, BMX bike, exercise bike, or even a motorbike.
“We are asking people to each ride 80km and raise anywhere from $80 to $800 during World Refugee Week,” said You Belong founder Tim Buxton. “While our work is here in Toowoomba, we are drawing attention to the 80 million displaced people around the world, with a portion of the funds raised to support frontline care for refugees in Iraq and Uganda”.
Anyone, anywhere can register and participate. Simply choose your bike, ride solo or in a team, set your goal and pace, and go the distance during World Refuge Week (June 13-20) — all while raising funds to empower refugees to integrate and thrive in Australia. Funds will also provide frontline care to refugees and internally displaced people in Iraq and Uganda.
Sign up for Bike to Belong — biketobelong.com
Subscribe — justicematters.transistor.fm
Support the show — patreon.com/justicematters
Full Transcript
Alyce Wood
So to be able to empower, you know, refugees in Australia and give them opportunity and give them hope and show them, you know, what we can do in Australia and what we can be and how much opportunity we have, I mean, that's really special. And I think, you know, Bike to Belong in particular, for me, sport plays a massive role in society and getting outside and, or inside if you're hung on a stationary bike and, you know, working off in a bit of a sweat and having some fun with your mates. I mean, you know, obviously, were elite athletes and we take sport very seriously, but at the core of it, sports, all that being with the mates and having fun.
Tim Buxton
Hey guys, you are in for a treat today. I just got done chatting with Jordan and Alyce Wood. They are two times Olympians. In fact, they are competing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo this year. But they're also joined forces with you belong Australia to participate in our very first bike to belong campaign. It's happening in World Refugee week from June 13, to the 20th, where we're encouraging people to get on their bikes to bike 80kms for the 80 million displaced people in the world. As we talked about in today's episode, that's 1% of the world's population. In fact, in the last year, it's gone from an estimated 70 million to 80 million displaced people, as the world has just been reverberating. And being severely impacted by COVID. There's so many displaced people today, bearing the brunt of that pandemic. And I was just so inspired to see the enthusiasm. And the joy that Jordan and Ellyse have as they talked about why they're participating in our bike to belong event as ambassadors and as coaches to hacker and bonniers, who are former refugees here in Australia. to coach them as they participate. We had a great time talking not only about Olympics and what it takes to overcome challenges, but you know, we shared about the inspiration that refugees have and and we really satin, considered just some of the those statistics that I just read out early and what that means, and why we can use what profile like they have a high profile as Olympic athletes and whatever we have in our hands we can use to to serve and benefit others. And so I know you're going to really enjoy sitting and hearing their stories and learning a bit about them. And again, we just got done chatting. They are a hoot. It's so so much fun in the podcast studio with them. And so yeah, we invite you in. And we hope you enjoy today's episode with Jordan and Alyce Wood.
Jordan Woods
Hey Jordan and Alyce, thank you so much for stopping by the studio. Thank you guys, like how far away are we now from the Olympics? Last time we met It was literally 100 days until the Olympics. And what we can't wear Where are we under 90 yet?
Alyce Wood
I think we're about at 83 or something around that the low 80s.
Jordan Woods
So it's about 13 and a half weeks till we race now.
Alyce Wood
So, we race in the second week of the game. So the the countdown is till the opening ceremony but we kind of have to sit on my hands. I mean, the excitement starts, you know, in at however many days so so that's fine.
Tim Buxton
Oh, man, that's just crazy. I can't believe it and how things go on with with your preparations is smooth sailing so far.
Jordan Woods
Yeah, it's been really good, especially sort of the last, I don't know, four to six weeks after our last regatta. And we sort of it's a lot clearer runway now and a lot more certainty around the games. And we have a bit of a plan of attack. So it's just been Yeah, way better last sort of few months and has been big improvements and all through that.
Alyce Wood
Yeah, I guess for us, you know, we've got our national championships coming up in three weeks. I think we're going to Adelaide for that. So that'll be our last race tying in at the same time as when the World Cups are meant to be on in Europe. So we're not obviously going to go Yeah, well, it will still be happening. So it's going to be nice to be able to race at the same time as that happening and, you know, kind of get lost, check on where we're at and be able to tweak a few things and have enough time between then and again.
Tim Buxton
And rewind one year. I mean, you were supposed to be like going to the Olympics last year. I mean Oh Obviously, we all know what happened in 2020. We don't really need to rehash that too much. But I mean, how having that false start having to kind of go through that regroup, figure out, what are we doing? How does it feel now this time around? You know, you go first?
Jordan Woods
Yeah, no, I think, for us as a country, I think, looking at where we are compared to a lot of other places in the world, we've definitely been given a really good shot, because the way COVID has been handled and everything, he has been a lot better to the rest of the world. So I think it hasn't impacted us as much as it has, say, Europe or those sorts of countries. I think we're in a pretty good position. And yeah, I think we're super lucky. fortunate to have that.
Alyce Wood
Yeah, I think it's weird, because, you know, we're reliving moments now that we thought we'd you know, live last year, like, a year ago, celebration, you know, we've now had that twice, and we're under 100 days to go. So that's good news. You know, we're on the homestretch. But it is different. And we know these games are going to be different. Sometimes different isn't bad. With we're learning more and more about the games, the closer we get about, you know, what it'll look like and how it will be different. But I think, you know, at the end of the day, we're going to the games to race and to put it all on the line. And no matter what's happening, we're going to do that for sure. And, you know, represent Australia to the best of our ability. So that doesn't change this kind of, you know, the bits and bobs around the edges do.
Tim Buxton
Yeah. Yeah, look, and you're you're not first time Olympians. I mean, you guys have been there before, I guess you've got that to your advantage. And that's impressive. I mean to have competed in an Olympic Games. And maybe I've got you on because we've got another exciting challenge that we're going to be talking a bit about and your involvement beyond just your own challenges and in serving and empowering others. We'll get to that in just a minute. But I'd love to just just talk a bit about you know what, what it was like for you last time you competed and maybe tell tell our audience you know, what you competed in? Because Yeah, they probably I'm still can't get my head around. Is it kayaking or is it canoeing? The two words keep interchange. Yeah. Yeah, messing with my head. So maybe you could introduce the audience to a bit about that.
Alyce Wood
So Jordan and I both sprint kayakers, Sprint kayaking is basically in a straight line, we race 500 meters and 1000 meters can Okay, Point A to Point B in a straight line as fast as you can. kayaking, canoeing and canoeing is a little bit different to each other, but very interchangeable. At the same time, canoeing is the traditional, you know, word for our sport, you know, way back when canoes were used to transport you know, food and, and things like that down Creek. So that's where canoeing was born. But nowadays canoeing is on your knee, and kayaking is on your bomb. Okay. And so were the smart ones. And we're
Jordan Woods
very thankful I sit down. And not kneel for an hour. Yeah, kneeling's really hard.
Alyce Wood
But there's two types of chi e as well as the Olympics is slalom. So they go down rapids, and they're really cool and lightweight. Like the boring cousins. Yeah. So wait, Australia,
Jordan Woods
is all about going as fast as we can in a straight line. So
Alyce Wood
yeah, but yeah, so we both competed in Rio, I competed in the double over 500 meters. And Jordan was k4 1000.
Jordan Woods
Yeah, and K2 200, as well. So I got two events. last Olympics,
Alyce Wood
said Jordan got fourth, the chocolate medal was
Jordan Woods
It's just, I mean, it's just amazing. Like, really, and you you were pretty chuffed to to make your your final? Yeah,
Alyce Wood
And I made the final, which we're stoked about. So yeah, hopefully we can do a lot better this year.
Tim Buxton
Yeah. It's, it's incredible just to be an Olympian, I think is a lot, a lot of hard work and overcome a lot of challenges and setbacks. So to be able to make it twice to to get there and World Champs as well. I mean, that's pretty, pretty impressive. So you've got big hopes going into this year, you've got some goals, what are your ambitions?
Alyce Wood
I don't know, it's hard to tell, because we don't know what the rest of the world is doing. We haven't raced internationally. So yeah. So to to know where you are in a world ranking sense. I mean, no one knows. And so, you know, we definitely have big goals. So like, you know, I know, we both want to be on the podium. And I think that that is quite possible. For sure. There's so many different factors playing into this games, but you know, we know what times are doing and we know we're hitting what we need to hit. So
Jordan Woods
the good thing about kayaking is you don't generally you know, more or less what the times people are going to do. And they haven't really changed it over the last sort of like five to 10 years, even though always similar time. So if you can try and hit those, you generally know if you're on the Money or not, which is it's always a good thing.
Tim Buxton
Yeah. Oh, man, that's I mean, just to know you've got a crack. You got a chance of having a crack. Yeah, anyone's gonna Yeah, we always say it's like if you made the final Steve Bradbury, he's is the ultimate example
Jordan Woods
You always Yeah, once you make the final it's really anyway the time's up on the diet.
Tim Buxton
Yeah, do the lines make a difference? Because
Jordan Woods
Yeah, they can think especially if it's like a crosswind protected on one side of the course or, yeah, that's it, really. But you don't get to choose your lane. If you just automatically get
Alyce Wood
This kind of qualifiers go in the middle and make your way out. But everyone's so close normally with qualifications that I mean, the winner can come from any line. And yeah, sometimes conditions play into it. I mean, we're racing in the morning. So hopefully, you know, when typically comes up later in the afternoon, so hopefully, it's a pretty fair competition, but we're an outdoor sport and anything can happen. So who knows?
Jordan Woods
Yeah, and and Okay, I've got to say this, your your husband and wife team. You're not obviously in the same boat, you competing in separate teams and events. But what are some of the price to being a husband and wife team and maybe we can post some comments.
Jordan Woods
It's definitely helpful. Like, if I have a bad session or tying a lace can relate because she would have had a bad session as well, you know, from time to time. And yeah, it's, it's good. It's not like, you know, we know what a child is going through, like, from a day to day basis. I think that's definitely helpful.
Alyce Wood
I think for me, it's the fact that we get to share such huge moments in our lives together. I mean, you know, obviously, the Olympics in Rio was a huge thing for us, you know, being our first Olympics and to be able to go through everything together. And I remember at the closing ceremony, I was sitting on Jordan shoulders, and you know, that's a that's a crazy moment in your life. And I mean, you know, a year later, I won the K, one 1000 meter at Worlds. So my first World Championship title, and five minutes before that Jordan and his crew won the K four, and this will change your titles within five minutes of each other. So that's also hugely special. And I mean, not many people can say that. That's not at all.
Jordan Woods
Oh my gosh, how cool is that? I'm just gonna I know you're probably not thinking kids right now. You just gonna probably have some incredible athletic kids one day. Like,
Alyce Wood
Jordan, parents are Olympic medalists. He's like the productive. Yeah, Olympic medalists. My parents are letting the team down a little bit.
Tim Buxton
Now get the good looks from you. Yeah, cuz I did see a photo of you. It must have been before you met because you've got you're on a BMX bike, which kind of will segue and yeah. And you've got this crazy long hair. Yeah, I'm thinking. Jordan, How on earth did you manage to snap up?
Jordan Woods
I don't know. I was definitely pretty lucky. I think it was a haircut. And then we didn't start dating until he got his haircut. The game changed after that. Yeah, if
Tim Buxton
you go to the Australian Olympics page, I did did some some reading up about about your guy's achievements and stuff before he came in. But they're the photos on there. If you Google Jordan wood and get it I love it. Yeah. But, um, but yeah, I mean, you kind of took to kayaking a little bit later, it seemed to indicate even now you Yeah. in your, in your blood. And I know,
Jordan Woods
like, it's because especially like, both my parents were always in kayaking. So I was always in and around the sport. And from a young age, I definitely always could paddle and did paddle. But um, yeah, sort of just sort of floated in and out more or less until I was about 15 or 16. And then I started paddling more and more, because sort of around my, my early teenage years and stuff, I just wanted to go and race mountain bikes with my mates. So I did that for a few years and didn't have all that much success because I crashed a lot. And I didn't really make the end of races, all that. But I had a lot of fun. And then also it was paddling a little bit and then I ended up making my first Junior worlds team. Wow. And I sort of realized that I probably was never going to make it as a mountain biker. And I just made the car team and now just sort of progressed from there and started training more and more. Yeah, and yeah, here we are now.
Jordan Woods
And like we said, it's in it's in the family mom's coaching. Yeah. It's a bit imagine Yes, she can. She knows what what whether you've been out too late or whatnot. She knows everything. Find a way
Alyce Wood
a very unique relationship with my mother became very professional and two lives are quite separate. So that's handy as well.
Jordan Woods
So good. So we we almost got you back on the bike but because you're prepping for the game, make sure that you know you don't have any more crashes. Yeah, that's it probably wise it.
Tim Buxton
You kind of broke your collarbone last year,
Jordan Woods
Last year after the Olympics is canceled is like, straightaway I was like, Oh, great. I got three months off. And I'm gonna go ride my mountain bike every day. And yeah, one thing that's an overnight I just started like doing bigger and bigger jumps. And then I yeah, just came off one day and landed on my shoulder and broke my collarbone and the bike hasn't been smashed my foot. Yeah, the bike stayed in the shed. I'm sure everyone is happy. We're happy to hear. Yeah. put you in babble bubble wrap. But um, yeah, we've, I mean, the reason why again, I've been able to connect out with you guys, I've known about you for quite a while got some great family friends and and followed your journey a little bit. So. But we first met just the other, you know, a month or so ago. And we're talking back and forth about this event that we're hosting for you belong at a charity that empowers refugees, here in Australia to integrate to thrive. You know, these are families that have fled war, persecution, in some cases of genocide, they finally make it onto Australia shores, and they got residency to start their brand new life overcoming, you know, like a new culture, a new language and, and we're able to get alongside them. And we've got this awesome event to promote awareness for them during World Refugee week, which happens just before the Olympics called bike to belong. I shared about it with you, and you're like we're in Yeah. Tell me Tell me why. Tell me why you're so excited to be a part of, of this event. And maybe you could you could share what role you're playing in the in the lead up to that event?
Alyce Wood
Yeah, I guess for me, you know, when you explained what you belong, and what weiterbildung was about, I mean, for me, I love the idea of everyone having equal opportunity. And I think that's so important. You know, you can't be what you can't see if that makes sense. So that's the say. And I think that's so important today and everyday. And so to be able to empower, you know, refugee refugees in Australia, and give them opportunity and give them hope and show them you know, what we can do in Australia and what we can be and how much opportunity we have. I mean, that's really special. And I think, you know, by to belong in particular, for me, sport plays a massive role in society and getting outside and, or inside if you're on a on a stationary bike, and, you know, working out with a bit of a sweat and having some fun with inmates. I mean, you know, obviously, were elite athletes, and we take sport very seriously, but at the core of it, sports, all that being with the knights and having fun, and that's a huge thing. And so, yeah, marrying up, you belong and buyten belong it kind of it kind of brings those two really great things together. And so, I mean, Jordan and I are super stoked to be involved. You know, we're, we're teaming up. Our teams called Toowoomba, Tokyo, we're teaming up with two refugees who are now in Australia, obviously, and they live in Toowoomba, haka, and banjarmasin. So that's one barn and to talk here, we're obviously going to Haha, that night, and we're going to be helping them out with getting on the bikes and completing their goal and
Jordan Woods
Just mentoring them a little bit along the way, as well. So...
Alyce Wood
hopefully we can kind of get them excited. I mean, I do a lot of speaking engagements, and always talk about my journey and the fact that for me, you know, I'm a serious athlete or whatever, and you go out and you're very, you know, you're trying to get the job done. But for me to be able to get the job done, you got to have fun, and you got to have a smile on your face. And so that's one thing that I like to share with people and hopefully I can share with haka, and by NASA, as well is the fact that, you know, you just have a good time and you can have a good time when you're on the bike riding and you know, we're still going we're raising money and raising awareness and doing this really great thing and they can kind of pair up and marry with each other. Hmm.
Tim Buxton
Yeah, it's fantastic. I mean, how combine Yes, we we got kind of first acquainted on messenger and hopefully they'll be coming down on the Gold Coast really soon to meet you guys. And, and, and just you know, these are two young young people one one bonus is in her 12th grade at at high school. And she's had to kind of start at square one just learning English but it's graduated so that she can now do her like math and science classes. Oh, overcoming these challenges and she's got a younger brother also in high school.
Jordan Woods
That's so impressive because she's only been here for a little bit over a year. So, I know I definitely know. I would really struggle to learn a whole new language within a year. So
Alyce Wood
Jordan speaks a little bit of Dutch. Yeah, his mum's from the Netherlands and yeah, and a bit of time there growing up and he's still he's still very dodgy.
Jordan Woods
Yeah. spoken in all my life. When I say I could never spell I can't spell at all. But then it was very impressive. So yeah, just learning a new language in itself within a year in a new country in a new environment. Yeah. So impressive in itself.
Tim Buxton
Yeah. And then to be able to study math and science and all these other subjects in that new language is massive. We struggle with that a bit. English is hard. The rest of it.
Tim Buxton
I think there's something beautiful about you know, appearing Olympians who have had to work hard to be resilient to overcome challenges to reach a, you know, to reach that goal. You know, it takes a lot of hard hard work and and I mean, I've worked with refugees for the good part of you know, a lot of my professional life. 15 years of international humanitarian work, spent four years in Iraq and working alongside these beautiful, beautiful families and they they truly are the most remarkable, resilient, courageous people you'll ever come across. So much to take Ah, and so I have a feeling in this exchange too as you get to know them, as you know, Danielle has never even like ridden a bike before. Yeah, yeah. You know, I grew up in Australia, there's not a chance you're not going to learn how to ride a bike. Yeah, here she is. I'm going to ride 80 K's in a hallway. And so we've got a gym pass so that she can actually shoot her and her brother will actually do it on stationary bikes. You don't want them in the streets of Toowoomba and not ideal. Yeah. Not that they, we can probably find a track for them. But we thought that would be the best way to, to approach it for them. But, but again, an incredible like, what a feat what a what a spirit to be able to say, yeah, I'm all in let's do this.
Alyce Wood
I love that. I mean, you know, if we talk about the Olympics for a little bit, you know, the Olympics for me isn't just about gold medals and, and winning. I mean, we all want to win, we all want to be on the podium. But you look at the Olympics. And it's so much deeper than that, you know, the stories that come out of that. I mean, there's the Olympic refugee chain that I spoke to about a little bit. And, you know, you've got so many stories that come through, like Eric Thiele. And yeah, Eddie, the eagle one and things like that, you know, that they're just having a go, and they're loving it, and they're having a good time, and they're happy to just, you know, throw it all in and give it a crack. And that's what this is about, you know, if a hacker by analysis is jumping on, and they're doing it for a good cause, and they want to do it, and so they'll definitely achieve it. Because, yeah, you know, when you put your mind to something, of course, you can. And we see that so often with different stories that, you know, the media or whatever looks for these triumphs and gold medals and whatever. But actually, the good stories come from much deeper, and beneath that, and they're the ones you know, when I'm watching different stories from the games are from different things happening around the world. Those are the stories that really inspire you, and the ones that actually kind of get you off in the morning.
Tim Buxton
Yeah, totally. Now, to think that, you know, I'd love to just read. And for those listening, we haven't kind of talked a lot about refugees and immigrants on this podcast, we have talked about a lot of other issues in human trafficking, but I just thought I'd just read some of these statistics just to let them sink in a bit for us, right. So 1% of the world now, displaced, there, from their home forcibly. To put that into kind of figures, that's three times the population or about others of Australia, I just have had to flee their home, and they're just living either in a tent in a neighboring country, they might be internally displaced, but completely, you know, in an in a place where they are not welcome. Only, like, I think 15% make it to countries like Australia, the rest are in are in countries that are, you know, facing acute food shortages and malnutrition, or just overwhelmed with themselves and unable to care for them. 40% of refugees are children having to live in these conditions. And ever us as Australians, right? We We are the lucky country, really, we have so much. And the thing that you're going to be competing in walking out right into that stadium with a you know, people representing Syria, where 6 million of their own people are exiled and refugees and South Sudan and Afghanistan, and I could go on the numbers. How does that? How does how does that make you feel sorry to bring such a shame. But how does that make you feel?
Alyce Wood
I mean, first of all, you know, it makes you feel lucky and proud to be Australian. I mean, we are so lucky here and we're so sheltered. And to hear statistics, like that is is crazy, because, you know, you say 1% of the world's population is displaced. I mean, that's one in 100. You know, you sit in a small hole, and then
Jordan Woods
I think what really hit home for me was that three times the population of Australia. Yeah, that's what you say. 1%. But then you say three times the population of our whole country? That is that's a massive amount of people who are living in poverty and who are displaced looking for a new home.Yeah, that's crazy.
Alyce Wood
Massive, particularly because and I touched on it before, I mean, you know, were brought up to believe and be given relatively equal opportunity. Yeah. You know, there's obviously issues within our own country as well. But still, we're all comparatively speaking. Yeah. We're hugely, you know, blessed to be given opportunities that were given and it's just, it makes me feel sick that other people aren't. And, you know, we do take so much for granted here and there's just so much going wrong with the world beyond kind of our shores and I guess particularly at the moment with COVID and every year happening, you know, countries are under more pressure and you know, there's there's lots more things happening as well in terms of health, so crazy Why Yeah,
Jordan Woods
I think especially like, if you're a refugee fleeing your own country because it is not safe for you to live there to start with when, when you said the now 40% of children that could, if I'm thinking about that, that means like their parents have had to either stay behind to fight in a conflict or a loss a family along the way, and then they're in a refugee camp by themselves. Like, that's, that's not fair. Yeah, it's not fair at all. Especially if you're like a small child, like you can't look after yourself.
Alyce Wood
Yeah, I struggled to decide whether I wanted Vegemite toast in the morning, being fed children or having to make life decisions, and they're out on their own. And we're worried that there's no chocolate in the house like, yes, chocolate cheese.
Tim Buxton
And I think that's why it's so important that, you know, we do pause for a week, you know, and we just consider, hey, look, this these are the stories and and, and, again, in the midst of the tragedy, use, you can unearth some of the most incredible stories, the most inspiring people I think there's that. Who's that paint painter that just did Guy Sebastian? Ahn Do, yeah, yeah, he's just, you know, we've got the leading prosthetic surgeon in Australia is an Iraqi refugee who fled and, and, and came here and, and has developed an incredible prosthetics that that is used on a friend of mine who lost her leg, you know? And, and, you know, these these, this is what makes up even our own country, Australia, we the people to celebrate, prepare to welcome
Jordan Woods
Australia. Start with like, we look back to our beginnings massively multicultural nation anyway. Yeah, I think so. I think we're striving to definitely welcome more cultures couldn't come over. But yeah, I think Australia is definitely like, everyone you talk to is like, no one's really from Australia. Or like, I my family's from Europe, at least his family's from Europe. Like we've all. Yeah, your granddad was a refugee from Germany. So Wow. Yeah. So it's all Australian massive melting pot of cultures. And I think we need to embrace that. And I think it makes us stronger as a nation as well.
Tim Buxton
And I think to have when we consider our indigenous brothers, and they do this Welcome to Country ceremony, and even in, in the tragic past, of, of, of even our beginnings, they have extended a hand of Welcome to Country, Welcome to this land where you this is a land where or where everyone belongs? Isn't that like to understand that in our heritage, that, that we are a country that has come together and forge with all our differences. And I think you're so right, Jordan, we've got to, I think, regain that a bit more. And I think I appeal to the good in all of us, we all want that we all see that. And I think it's weeks like World Refugee week that remind us once again, as we tell these great stories as you ride alongs well not ride was you coach and train side some of their newest neighbors and newest refugees, you're cheering them on and saying, isn't this a beautiful picture of what Australia is? Yeah. 100% Yeah, I love that.
Alyce Wood
We're a very special. I mean, yeah, we just, you know, spoke about it, you know, and our indigenous culture converging with the fact that we are so multicultural. I mean, you know, we're, we're just a country that is so unique. And I think we're finally coming into our own with understanding that particularly the indigenous culture, cultural side of things, you know, I'm only just starting to really learn about that and understand it and appreciate it. Yeah. Because we weren't educated on that in school, and which is ridiculous. I'm 28. And I don't know a lot about it. And we're in the just now, like, we've, we've been in the last few months, kind of involving ourselves more in our, in our local community and learning about that. And it's, and it's so eye opening. And I think, you know, this is the type of thing that needs to be learnt in school and and same with learning about refugees and learning about the world we live in, in school,
Jordan Woods
We definitely don't learn about definitely not our own culture to start with. Enough, and you don't really learn about much that goes on in the world currently, currently, which is, I think it's a pretty big flaw. I think if that was taught more in schools, people will have a greater understanding on different cultures and the way like the world is as well and just be a bit more accepting in general, I think would be a massive step forward a bit more education around it.
Alyce Wood
As I get older, you know, I feel even more naive to things like this and and, you know, we talk about our indigenous our indigenous culture, sorry, and you want to learn more and I just feel like I'm just So behind that the April's Yeah, because I just knew nothing about it. And I mean, you know, no, no fault of my parents at all. But you know, they didn't know much about it either. So they couldn't exactly teach me about it. And now they're starting to learn, and they're in their 50s and 60s. And that's just, that's crazy. So, you know, World Refugee week and weeks like that is so important, because awareness is, is huge, you know, if you're not aware of something going on in the world, or aware of what your neighbor is doing, and you'll never be able to know how to help or know what you can do or know what they're doing. Yeah, from the start. So it's hugely important to just be in front of people and you know, be on screens or you know, be riding down a road with a shirt on or whatever it is. And we talk about I mean, I work in Marketing, yeah, if you take it back to marketing, it's the fact that if you say something in many, many different places, you know, you see, you see a word on a shirt, and then see a word on a billboard, and you see a word on Instagram page, and you'll slowly start to married and you'll actually start to become aware that it's a brand and then all of a sudden, you'll be buying without even marrying it all up so wow,
Tim Buxton
The sub-conscious, subliminal connection.
Alyce Wood
You know, weeks like this awareness. Wait, yeah, there's just so important.
Tim Buxton
I think you've, I think you've hit it. So Well, we've got so much learn, I think it's a could, I could put a little plug in for our, our latest podcast that you belong started is called who is my neighbor. And it's highlighting some of these stories, and just, we actually interviewed Banyas on that podcast, and you get a little to know a little bit about her who is my neighbor, check it out on Spotify and YouTube, I think, already up there. But it is about taking the time, right? to just listen to somebody's story that's different to us to learn about our past, as difficult and as painful as it can be for not only for us, but for those that have suffered so much as a result of our history. Taking the time to listen to learn to educate ourselves is is just so it's so important for us as a side, it's important for us as individuals. And I really, I'm really, so thankful that you've been willing in such a busy time for you preparing for, you know, one of the biggest moments of your life, to take the time to say, hey, it's not just about our goals and our challenges, we want to help others overcome their challenges and, and achieve their goals here.
Alyce Wood
I think, you know, the fact that we're so happy to jump on board is, is we know how lucky we are. You know, we know how fortunate we are. And we're in a position where we are very, very fortunate. And, you know, to be able to kind of share our profile, and not that we have a huge profile in Australia, but still, you know, the small profiles that we do have to be able to share that and do what we can I mean, you know, it's not going to change the world, that's for sure. But every little bit counts, and the fact that we're just having a conversation about it, and then yeah, you know, even since joining up and talking to friends about it, just talking about what it is and what it means and they then go Okay, you know, what does that mean? And you know, what can I do? And so, you know, and if you touch the lives of 5-10 people, that's enough, you know, so true, you've done your part,
Tim Buxton
Making a friend just one friend can change that person's life and it's that that mentality of just being able to change one person just being able to impact that one person's life. And you're going to do that obviously, I know hackathon by NASA just super pumped and and the support that we'll be raising is going to impact and help so many refugees that are learning English for the first time through how are for English friendship group and we've got a Heroes program for young kids in school that we're running now that helped them with overcoming resilience, a lot of them have experienced, you know, you know, war and they've coming in here and they've you know, we really want to make sure that they not only succeed in school in the academics but they succeed in in their personal lives as well.
Alyce Wood
And I mean, you know, what you guys are doing you know, you're creating groups and friendship circles almost and we know also well that in sport you need to surround yourselves with the right group of people and and we know how much they can make a difference to not only obviously, the effort we put in on the water and what we can produce but also just your mental health and you know, just your happiness around the sport and around you know, your everyday life can have a huge impact and, and again, we see that coming out in results and a tangible thing that we go I'm happy off water. I'm paddling well on water and knowing what you guys are doing, you know with these people is is so amazing because that can make a massive difference to their life as a whole, not just in the fact that they're learning English or, you know, the fact that you're teaching them different things. It's it can make it have a roll on effect, I guess, to many different aspects of their lives. Yeah, for
Jordan Woods
For sure. I think it's okay. Create a bit crazy bit of community as well. And I think if you have a good little community, it's, you know, easier to sort of thrive as well. And you learn from other people as well. And, you know, just that, I think it's really good thing
Tim Buxton
Yeah, that you hit the nail on the head. That's what I mean, it's, if you're plugged in to the community, you're going to access all the resources that that social community has, and we find that those that are part make, make friends and get plugged in really quick. They're gonna get access to jobs and opportunities. And, and, and, and mentally and emotionally. Like you said, thrive and and do so well. So yeah, we're, you're, you've got your own little group here. And, and, well, I look forward to seeing how they go. Now. Do you have any tips? I was just watching the news the other night with my daughter, and she's in grade five. And it was talking about the Brisbane Olympics. Potentially coming you know, we've got a bid for the for Brisbane. Right? And I'm sure that'll take over the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast and that whole region. We had the Commonwealth Games a couple years back, but it could be huge. Right. And I'm like Eliana, you'd be like 18 years of age. I mean, perfect. What any advice you have for young people out there listening, or tips that you could give give to them,
Alyce Wood
I think, you know, for us, and you see this happen in elite sports so often is that you don't have to be the best at your favorite sport at 10, 12, 14 years old. You know, most of us weren't, you know, we didn't actually a lot of us didn't start paddling a kayak until 1516 years old. So don't think and I went through Primary School thinking they sat, you know, I was scrambling trying to find a sport. I mean, I went to the Sydney Olympics when I was eight with my mom. And I knew I wanted to be an Olympian after that, and then tried every sport known to mankind and nothing ever stuck with me because I, I wasn't a good runner, I couldn't catch balls and don't have much hand eye coordination. And, and then I just resigned to the fact that it was kind of never going to happen. And wow, then I stumbled upon kayaking, but so many people in our sport and you know, in so many other sports don't actually hit there. I would say rides to later.
Jordan Woods
Yeah, I would say I think, especially to kids outside, try every sport, yeah, to start with and just, you know, get involved in everything. And, you know, you pick up all these different skills along the way, like, I've never been a great ball sport or coordination person. And it's simply because I've never really played ball sports as a kid. And you definitely, the more sports you do, the more of an idea get on what you want to do and what you do, like what you don't like, like, I did swimming, mountain biking, always paddled and realized, swimming wasn't for me. And yeah, backlines couldn't do it. Mountain Biking was too dangerous. And then I settled on kayaking. And I think
Alyce Wood
The biggest thing is that, you know, you need to have fun with it. And if you're going to be an Olympian, or you're going to be really good at anything, whether that's, you know, music, or your chosen career path, or whatever it may be, you know, in your working life, it's that you're not going to be good at it, if you dread going there every day. And I think you see that a lot with a lot of kids coming through is that maybe their parents are pushing them a little bit hard, and they're trying to live up to expectation and they're not enjoying it. They're just going through the motions doing what they have to do, I guess and trying to please people, but you come unstuck when you're a bit older that because you do need to enjoy going every day. It's like work, you know, even if you love a certain job. Some parts of the job are great. No one likes doing paperwork. He can't tell anyone I say no, but it comes with the job. You know, like with us. lactide sessions are the worst thing in the world. But it comes with the job you have to do them to be good paddler, and I love paddling and it makes me happy. So I go every day and I'm surrounded by my my teammates, and you know, Jordan and things like this. So as long as you're enjoying something, yeah, it doesn't, you know, that's going to Trump everything else. And I mean, the biggest thing as well as enjoyment, and I mean, we've like this a lot through COVID is is that even if you can't kind of achieve your end goal, I mean, for a while there, we thought the Olympics were going to be canceled. And so even even if that was going to be pulled away from us, you know, you can still look back on something really positively because we've had a good time clacking over the past four years and you know, we've had some great opportunities and have loved going to training and being with our mates and paddling all over the world and say even if that one end goal, you know, you talk about long term goals is not achievable, or it's out of your control. You can still look back on something really positively. So yeah, have a good time is advice we can give to someone wanting to go to the Olympics
Jordan Woods
Yeah, definitely. Do you enjoy what you're doing? It makes it a lot easier. And luckily said, there's always some bits of it that hard and a little bit difficult. But, you know, you just look past those things and hope. Yeah, and you're lucky. Yeah, you have your teammates there. And they're always there to help pick you up when you were you feeling a bit down on some sessions. But
Tim Buxton
That's so true. And, you know, there's a lot of people out there that have had a tough year, right. And I think of the refugees that have experienced great loss, great pain and great suffering in their life. And we all go through those moments in life. I remember, you were diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Yes. And to overcome these challenges. I mean, what would what have you learned through maybe some experiencing some of these things that we, you know, all of us go through in life, and some obviously might be going through right now,
Jordan Woods
I sort of got diagnosed with an autoimmune disease in 2017, which is a really sort of incredible year in the sense that I won a world championship that year before I'd been diagnosed, but I'd been sort of suffering with it. Yeah, I've been sick. And then I had like, two or three months off that year, sort of Around this time, the year actually. So around March or April, I would train and then I'd have a day off, because I couldn't train and there are all these things that have like, we're going to be sort of wrong. And I was like, Oh, this isn't good. And for some reason, I just thought I would all sort of work out in the end. And yeah, it obviously did. But um, yeah, I was just super lucky. I had a, my teammates still really like supported me. And now sort of still believed in me that I could do the job of paddling in the back of the K four. And yeah, lace is great along the way, she said, Your UV rod. Because they know he was actually sick at this point. Because it was just he was just struck getting blood tests. And I just kept trying, kept trying to pinpoint what it was his glandular fever, and then it was like something else. And then I just kept sort of have like, a few weeks off, and I'll be good for a week, and then I'll just be absolutely slammed and just had to lay in bed for two days. And it wasn't until afterwards, after we won the World Championships, we came home. And I had to Indiana had a liver biopsy done. And it came back as I hadn't had,
Alyce Wood
Which is where you get a needle through your rib cartilage.
Jordan Woods
Which is it's a horrible experience. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. But yeah, so this is I was probably I noticed was sort of suffering from it on offer about close to a year until it was like fully diagnosed. And yeah, which is really good. Because since then, I've got my all my liver functions under control and stuff. And I haven't really had an issue in two or three years. So that yeah, it was a really, it was a lot of sort of dark days, I was like, I don't really know. What am I still thinking I'm training for like, I can't even paddle 200 meters is like,
Alyce Wood
I think what got john through and probably what's changed as I think since kind of pre that time is the fact that, you know, everyone kind of rallied, because I mean, we didn't really know what was wrong with him. I mean, you know, some days you and naive and he comes into plays you toughen up, you'll be right. But we should probably shouldn't have been. But in hindsight, it's a lovely thing. But, you know, we all rallied around, we did all believe that he could do it because he is excellent at what he does. And so, you know, in those pretty, not great days, that kind of what got you is what got you through and then since he's been diagnosed, I think, you know, and being able to get on top of it, you know, he's been able to lean more on all of us around him because we all get it. We all know what's going on with him. So that's, I mean, for me, I'm speaking on your mouth, but that's been a huge learning for me is that you can listen to your body more and lean on everyone around you.
Jordan Woods
Yeah, I think that was my main... probably what I learned from myself was I was always I never really listened to my body. And then I think having this sort of made me listen to my body more and if I was feeling super rundown, like I just have a sleep end. And I go to training if I'm tired and rundown so
Alyce Wood
I think you know what we all learn through tough times in your life. And, you know, that's one of Jordans and you know, we've had a few blows over the last few years that's for sure. And and it's that unique need something to wake you up in the morning and for us, I mean, obviously that's each other, but as well that's paddling. And we found that in COVID is is, you know, paddling got ripped away from us, the Olympics will potentially getting got postponed a year. We don't have kind of normal jobs. I mean, John's a lifeguard and I worked for myself, but we don't have that nine to five job, you can just go to and find retain. So we lost, we lost all retain and, and we found ourselves at home, you know, we, our training facility got shut down at a gym couldn't paddle from our house was never cleaner, though. We learned actually, what made us happy is to go for a paddle in the morning and not a paddle where we are tested. And we have computers on our boats and all these things, it's just going for a paddle. And that makes us happy. And I think there's so much learnings you can take from that for anyone is that, you know, if you're going through a tough time, it's fine what you love doing, and it can be as little as reading a book or or, you know, coloring in or whatever it is. But if you do that for a little bit in your day, no matter what's going on, in the world around you, you can find a bit of joy in that little moment. And that, you know, paddling with the sunrise coming up, you know, we weren't going through some pretty crappy days with all the media reports and not knowing what your life was going to be like. And we wanted to start a family last year and we couldn't you know, all these thoughts going through your head and yeah, paddling on beautiful glossy water made it all better. Yeah.
Tim Buxton
I love that, though. What what wakes you up in the morning and having a good, hard, honest look at, you know, what it is that what's your why is other people say what's your? What's your reason?
Alyce Wood
And it doesn't have to be something that's super profound? Yes. And I people often search for that in life
Tim Buxton
It changes in life right, you change, your interests change. And
Jordan Woods
yeah, I think like, it's like some like one day, we'll probably have close this sport chapter. And then we'll get up to you know, strive for something else in life. And I think that's important. You got to always like set new targets, and you got to go after them. Because if you just sort of sit around and like Marlin be happy, you're just going to sort of not really move forward. And I think I know, for us, I don't think that will work. Because we're always been chasing goals and really trying to get the best out of ourselves and each other, so be taken petitive we always got projects on the guys.
Tim Buxton
I love it. You know, I just as as we close, I was thinking I was reading through one of the sweet former refugees up in Toowoomba, she was just sharing her story. And she was talking about how she left us. She left Afghanistan and then had to flee into Pakistan and was there for many years in a refugee camp and Pakistan hosts. So millions and millions of refugees there as well. And she finally was able to make it to Australia and she writes in the bottom, you know, I am just so grateful to be in Australia, I will always you know, treasure treasure. Afghanistan, my you know the country I was but i will i am i'm whatever I do, I want to do it for Australia first. Now, I'm so grateful this opportunity they gave me and I was thinking about that, as you said, you know, there's there's chapters in our lives that we close. And we have to open a new chapter and, and as much as the past is going to be a memorable and incredible thing. And you still there still still got your eye on on what's ahead of you that we'll move on. And we do have to start new new chapters. And I think as we look to refugees, and we look to those that have, you know, endured so much and have come here and starting new chapters in their lives. They've got so much to teach us and so much to learn. Show us and how they do that. Yeah.
Jordan Woods
100% agree with that. I think we could definitely learn a lot from a lot of refugees and hearing their stories as well as Super eye opening, seeing their backgrounds where they came from and why they like seek, sought asylum in Australia, I think. I think they're really important lessons that I think more and more Australians need to hear.
Alyce Wood
Yeah, I think, you know, for us, it could be as well a little bit of a reality check. I mean, we talk about closing one door and opening another with different chapters. And that might look like you know, closing the elite sport door and opening parenthood door or you know, going into full time work or whatever that is. And that's really daunting, and it is and everything's relative, yeah, but imagine, you know, fleeing your country and getting to a new country. It does. speak their language and you know, you know, you don't know anything around you, like you go to a supermarket like, what is this everything? New, there's nothing familiar. Yeah. And then you think, in perspective, what I'm dealing with is, is not that crazy. And we can learn a lot from that. I mean, again, everything is relative, but still, you know, it's, it's crazy the amount of learnings we can take from them. And I mean, we're always looking for inspiration and, you know, people to seek that inspiration from it. I mean, you don't have to look far to find that.
Tim Buxton
No you don't, they're there, right here. And there are neighbors all over the all over the place, which is a beautiful thing. Let's, we better make sure we point out exactly, you know, World Refugee week is June 13, to the 20th. what that's like literally embarrassing. And it's like a month or so before you're on a plane. Yeah. And people were encouraging people to create their own team, or like, like you've created or ride solo. And during that whole week, black, were given them a target of 80 kilometers. Now, if you're a little kid, and you just want to ride eight K's you can choose a smaller option, or if you're part of a gun cycling team, you can customize that and right 800 You know, it is customizable. But we are asking people Hey, during that that week, get on your bike, we're going to be sharing some incredible stories, we're going to sharing your journey a little bit more as it unfolds with haka and bonniers. And, yeah, it's everything that people need to know about, it's at the website www.biketobelong.com. Have I missed anything else out about the event?
Alyce Wood
I think it's just the the idea that you know, every little bit counts. And again, you know, you say you can write a case of 800kms, whatever you want, whatever type of block you want, no rules. I mean, I've spoken to my dad about a mountain bike, but you know, you were talking the other day about a motorbike. So you know, like your Sunday,
Tim Buxton
We do have a group up in Toowoomba, that are going to do on weld on the final day, which is World Refugee Day, June 20. When we finish up, they're going to do an ADK motorbike ride with their whole crew, which is that's pretty awesome. Right?
Alyce Wood
I guess, like, and you'd know more about this than I do. But every dollar counts. Yeah, every dollar counts. And so it doesn't, you don't have to go out and raise 1000s and 1000s of dollars because every little bit you know, makes it
Jordan Woods
It does make a massive difference. And we've got some friends over in in Iraq and Uganda that do work on the front lines and refugee providing trauma care, counseling and support to refugees. So some of the prices will also be going directly to those that are still in very difficult circumstances and haven't had the opportunity to come to Australia so everything's gonna go make an impact around the world and it's a global event. So if you're tuning in from Germany or Australia listening to the podcast we do have a few international listeners you can it's virtual you just do it on your own time you can sign up wherever you are and participate we've got the Empire try club in New York joining with us we've got friends in Helsinki, Finland, people from all over the world. It's summer for them and it's winter for us. So it's probably the perfect kind of ridings. Yeah.
Alyce Wood
Winter in Australia is debatable. Yeah.
Tim Buxton
It's like yeah,
Alyce Wood
A winter's day is a summer's day in Finland, I'd say. Yeah,
Tim Buxton
Probably. Exactly. So yeah, I think we've covered it all. Thank you so much, guys, for chatting for getting getting tonight that little bit more and hear your journey. We're excited. We're cheering you on. We're so excited. 80 something days to go and we on our on our TVs cheering you on just so thrilled that you guys are representing our country and in represent I think representing you know, using your profile to help and serve others in that process. It means a lot to us, me and the work of you belong. So thanks a lot.
Alyce Wood
Thanks.
Jordan Woods
Thanks for having us.
