Sam Masters: 'I don't get nervous, but I was shaking this time'

NEWS Wednesday 22nd April 2020, 12:30pm

by PR Team

  Edinburgh Monarchs

In the first episode of Sunday Lunch, Sam Masters brought us up to date with lockdown life in Australia whilst reminiscing about some of his best memories with the Club.

Sam Masters was live from his back garden in Australia, campfire and all, for a question and answer session with John and Liam.

John launched straight into the most pressing question, asking if Sam had taken the time to watch the recent Netflix production of Tiger King. Sam admitted that the fast-paced speedway lifestyle doesn't really make him one for watching much television, but on this occasion, the Carole Baskin song was stuck in his head!

On the topic of the current lock down, Sam explained the Australian restrictions are quite similar to the UK, "We can still get a takeaway, but a lot of the shops are shut down.

"I try not to look at the news too much because I don't hear anything different. Every time I do, it's still the same stuff going on.

"With the weather, at least we can make use of our back yards."

Liam asked how Sam was keeping fit during the lockdown,

"I've been out on the push bike and doing a bit of running pretty much every single day. I also go out for a 5k walk with Tegan and Lenny most days as well. When the weather's good, it makes life really easy to do that."

John drew the conversation back to speedway and asked Sam his thoughts on the 2020 Monarchs line-up,

"Edinburgh always put together a team to win and I think they've done a pretty good job.

"Richie Worrall is one of the best away riders I've ever raced against, so to have him in the team is one less hard rider I would have had to beat, so I was pretty happy with that one!

"We've got a young team that's hungry and willing to win. It's hard to say until you get going, but I trust Alex and John with what they do, but when we get going, we'll see how it pans out."

John drew Sam back to the 2014 Championship Final and that big last race,

"I don't really get nervous, but I remember riding up to the start line extremely nervous, I must have been shaking.

"I missed the start by a mile, but when he [Craig Cook] took Nick [Morris] wide and opened the door, I couldn't believe it. I felt so slow, but we got in front and I thought 'we've got this' and, yeah, we won!"

"I just remember riding around and seeing Pontus [Aspgren] on the floor and thinking 'oh no, I don't want to do that again, I've just done the hard part, Nick won't fall for that again'.

"I was just riding over the start line and I could see Alex at the edge of the track with his arms up and I could hear the crowd under my helmet.

"I've never really wanted to win something so bad before."

You can watch the full question and answer session over in the EMTV section of the Official Website and join us for another Sunday Lunch this Sunday when John and Liam will be joined by Josh Pickering. Watch here on the Official Website from midday!

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