Talking Tech with Olympic Rower Alex Partridge

British rower Alex Partridge won bronze in the men’s eight event at the London 2012 Olympic Games. The athlete is also a keen follower of the technology, a self-described “tech guy” who’s always looking for the latest gadgets. We caught up with him at the Bulgari Hotel in London’s prestigious Knightsbridge.

Using a new Samsung 75” ES9000 Smart TV, Alex began with a stirring video montage showing some of the most unforgettable rowing moments from the Games. When it finished, he told the audience: “It just brings tingles to my spine, watching that right now”.

When exploring how the use of technology in the sport has changed during his career, Alex pointed first to the ever-increasing importance of TVs and other audio-video devices. Analysing your performance and technique is now key: “You can pretty much video every session and play it back and point out your mistakes”.

“We spend a lot of time analysing the most efficient way of moving the boat” he revealed, adding that capturing video once meant far more hassle. “Now, everything’s done on smartphones. It’s just so easy”.

Athletes can use technology to get an emotional boost as well as well as analysing their performance. The night before their last chance to qualify for the Olympic rowing final, Alex revealed how the team watched a selection of training footage and quotes that had been put together during the season. Thanks to this inspirational video, and modern home entertainment equipment, the Team GB rowers found the additional motivation that they needed.

Technology doesn’t just bring athletes closer to their dreams, however. It also brings fans closer to their sporting idols. During the London 2012 closing ceremony, Alex took lots of photos alongside the performers as well as the likes of fellow Olympian Mo Farah. He showed some of these snapshots to the world via social media, remarking that that the feedback was “amazing”.

In fact, the connected nature of today’s world even helped when Alex’s Olympic medal was stolen. After being targeted by pickpockets in a nightclub, he used his Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone to capture clips showing the thief from the venue’s CCTV footage. He then shared an image on Twitter and, to his astonishment, gained more than 2000 new followers in only 10 hours when the topic trended.

Dubbing London 2012 “the interactive games”, Alex is enthusiastic about the fact that it is now easier than ever to “share behind-the-scenes moments.” Now, there is an unprecedented level of interaction between athletes and supports. From the training room to the living room, technology is helping sportspeople and sports fans everywhere to enjoy more, connect more and achieve more than ever before.

Click to find out more about the ES9000 Smart TV