By Jeff McTainsh
Nathan Twaddle spent his career seated just behind George Bridgewater in the men's coxless pair - this time the view will be slightly different.
Five years after announcing his retirement from rowing Twaddle's back at his third Olympic Games in Rio, as a commentator.
"It's a bit surreal to be honest," said Twaddle.
"It's definitely hard, even though you're on the other side of the fence.
"Having been in an Olympic final with that guy to be then sitting behind a microphone calling him. This is great."
Bridgewater and Twaddle went their separate ways following their bronze medal at the Beijing Olympics, with Bridgewater opting for a career in finance in Singapore and Hong Kong.
Eight years on the pair are back together once again, although their roles are quite different, depending on who you ask.
"He (Bridgewater) said, 'one of us is here with a real job'," said Twaddle.
"I'm not quite sure who he was talking about. Could be me, could be him. I think It's him to be fair."
Bridgewater's has few extra hands to help with the workload this time around, rowing alongside men's quad team mates John Storey, Nathan Flannery and Jade Uru.
And although Twaddle's been the benefactor of a few more sleep ins since his retirement, the 39-year old's adamant he's putting in just as much preparation as his old team mate.
"I've taken the approach that I'm probably going to be working 12 hours a day to make sure that I'm ready to go delivering some quite tricky pronunciations."
Tricky too, holding back the parochial New Zealand sports fan within, not least the Olympian.
"I'm doing this for the Olympic Broadcast Service.
"For Kiwis back home, I hope they understand If I'm not absolutely going over the top every time a New Zealand crew does well."
Seated behind the microphone with a pair of headphones in Rio, Twaddle will be still be living every moment with Bridgewater and the crew on the water. The quad's fifth man.
"I think about our racing and what we've done. It's a big part of who I am."
The two men may get the chance to pair up once again in Rio, and celebrate another Olympic medal.
Newshub.
