Kiwi coaches US to men's volleyball gold

PETER MEECHAM/Fairfax Media

GOLDEN MOMENT: Hugh McCutcheon celebrates as his US men's volleyball team claims the Olympic gold medal.

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Hugh McCutcheon's jubilant coaching staff mobbed him as he raised his right fist and gazed up at the heavens.

Then it all got too much for the New Zealander as he took in his awful, then ecstatic Olympic journey which began when his father-in-law Todd Bachman was murdered in an apparent random attack in Beijing.

The victorious United States coach, having just guided his side to an Olympic gold medal in the final against Brazil, had to get out of the Capital Gymnasium arena today as tears streamed down his face.

"It got a little bit too much, it all started to sink in and I had to step out and collect my thoughts and my emotions. It was a very meaningful moment," he said.

"Obviously this is the best of times and the worst of times."

Christchurch born-and-raised McCutcheon, 38, had to leave his team before their first Olympic match after his father-in-law was stabbed to death, and mother-in-law Heather badly injured.

His last contact with Todd Bachman was when he texted to say how proud he was to see his son-in-law march at the opening ceremony.

McCutcheon took time to comfort his American wife and Athens Olympic women's volleyball rep Elisabeth, before returning to the team last weekend as she accompanied her recovering mother home. The team then beat Serbia and Russia to book their finals spot.

"The only word right now is surreal but it's all a bit fresh to really assign meaning to it. I'll have time to reflect down the road. I'm just really proud of my team," McCutcheon said.

"It doesn't change anything, we can't bring Todd back and we can't vindicate what happened.

"But I can enjoy this and mourn Todd's death, and try to deal with both those emotions."

McCutcheon chose volleyball over rugby at Shirley Boys' High School and represented New Zealand before moving to the US in 1990 to play for Brigham Young University.

He was touched by the reaction from New Zealand to the family's grief during the past fortnight.

"I'm happy for the support I got from so many people in New Zealand. I live in the US, I have a New Zealand passport and it's a big part of who I am, I'm proud to be a New Zealander.

"I'm also very, very invested in the US and what we've been doing. I feel like a bit of a global citizen, I've got a foot in both countries but I can't say enough about the support from everyone at this very trying time."

His first thought was to call his wife, watching the match live in the US.

"I just said hi and told her we were gold medallists. She watched it on TV, she was extremely happy. She's getting a lot of phone calls right now.

"She sent the team an email to wish them luck. The incident involving Todd influenced so many other people than just our immediate family.

"She just wanted the guys to know she was cheering for them and that her whole family was proud of what we're achieving over here."

Today's gripping 3-1 victory was a coaching triumph for McCutcheon who took over the US team in 2005. They hadn't won an Olympic medal since 1992, and their previous gold was in Seoul in 1988.

He won the US job after guiding BYU to two NCAA men's volleyball championships.

- NZPA