Sydney 2000 was something completely magical.

Looking back, Hinchley (née Barnett) wishes she had savoured the build-up a bit more.

Then 20 years old, Hinchley said it had been a whirlwind to reach the Games. She was a member of Australia's first indoor women's volleyball team and the youngest team in the sport in Olympic history.

The team coach was tough and not so nice, so stepping into action the first time for Hinchley - who would later move to beach volleyball - was a mix of relief and elation.

Australia drew a tough pool, including world powerhouse the United States, and a narrow loss to Croatia before a breakthrough win against Kenya. Hinchley told The Courier at the time she had yelled herself hoarse and was so nervous late in the fourth-set she was willing the match to be over for a win.

"You put everything into an Olympics. There is a real mix of brilliant results and emotion, even just getting to the event," Hinchley said. "It was definitely one of a kind, the Sydney Olympics.

"...The experience was before social media and before big, constant exposure for athletes. Sydney was so welcoming for such a massive city. You could go anywhere and there was a very relaxed feeling, which is something you don't tend to get with Olympics."

Hinchley, a Ballarat Grammar export, was a rower at high school. She was introduced to volleyball by teacher Ross Sullivan and never looked back.

But she did pinch herself a bit to be walking out in the opening ceremony with a strong Ballarat rowing contingent. Many were her idols.

Among the Australian rowing team was Emily Carmody (née Martin), who rowed in the same crew as Hinchley at school.

This was Carmody's first Olympics too. Carmody, then aged 21, said seeing so many athletes from Ballarat do so well on an international stage made her realise she could be successful as well.

Wednesday this past week marked exactly 20 years since the women's right final, a bittersweet memory for Carmody. The Australian crew, also featuring Ballarat Grammar exports Bronwyn Thompson and Katie Foulkes, finished fifth.

"So much about Sydney was a good time and a tough time; a highlight and a low-light. I'm still a little bit bitter about the race," Carmody said.

"It was amazing being in your home country and because it was my first Olympics, maybe I didn't appreciate it as much as I could at the time. Other girls in my crew had said how amazing it was in Atlanta. Being an Australian, you never forget that feeling really."

Both Hinchley and Carmody walked in the opening ceremony.

Most rowing crews did not walk, due to scheduling, but the women's eight were part of the historic event.

Hinchley still vividly remembers the moment she stepped out with the Australian team, quite unlike anything she had ever experienced.

"I was so wide-eyed. All Olympics you're wide-eyed really, but this was a real learning experience for me," Hinchley said.

"I think opening ceremonies are so magical. We were waiting in the tunnel and then you have this chance to walk out before a roaring crowd. It was very, very surreal.

"A lot of the time in my sport, you're not playing in a big environment with crowds like that."

Even though the Sydney Games felt so long ago for Hinchley, she believed without a doubt the whole experience spurred her elite career on for another 20 years.

Hinchley missed the Athens Games four years later, largely due to an ongoing knee injury. She was devastated at the time but found her way into beach volleyball, which she said was far more her style, taking her to Beijing in 2008 and London, as a mum, in 2012.

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For Carmody, who was three times in an Australian world championship crew, Sydney was her sole Olympic experience as an athlete.

Carmody now appreciates the success of the Games and the big stories, like Cathy Freeman's 400-metre gold medal and Sydney hometown hero Ian Thorpe, who shouldered and delivered on huge expectations for his first Olympics. She was part of these Games too.

Both relished the show Ballarat put on for their homecoming with then-Prime Minister John Howard in town.

The October day was freezing but there was a huge turnout to watch the parade with Ballarat's Sydney Olympians driven along Sturt Street in Sovereign Hill horse and carriages.

Hinchley said Ballarat has such an amazingly supportive environment to help you achieve anything, not just sport, you dream to pursue.

TAMSIN HINCHLEY (née Barnett)

Three-time Olympian

EMILY CARMODY (née Martin)

2000 Sydney Olympics (women's eight rowing)

Three-time world rowing champion (W8+ Lucerne 2001; W8+ and W4- Gifu 2005)

Under-23 world rowing champion (W4- Greece 1998)

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