By Abby Wilson, 1News Sport Editor
Monday 3:30pm

It's been a tough four-month wait for the conclusion of the coroner's inquest for those close to Olivia Podmore.


On Tuesday the inquest into the Olympic cyclist's 2021 suspected suicide continues after a court adjournment in December, the reasons for which can't
be reported.


Podmore's mother Nienke and her husband Chris Middleton represented
themselves during the initial three weeks of the inquest in Hamilton and will do the same for the continuation in Christchurch. The transfer to the
hometown of Podmore's family has been to help ease some of their financial burden.


Her family said the delay has been tough on top of everything they've already been through.


"We're like 'surely this cannot be happening again' because you expose so
much of yourself and you're just absolutely raw and they go 'stop, just
stop'. And that's it - cold turkey. It's like, where do you put all that rawness?" Chris Middleton said.


Things are also still raw for those who gave evidence in the hearing.


Among them is Nicholle Bailey, who is determined to do her friend justice.


"She's an incredibly brave, wonderful person and she just didn't have any
more fight left," an emotional Bailey said.


"I just hope that this is the opportunity for the wrongs that need to be righted to be righted."

She is one of around 24 witnesses who have given evidence in the three-week hearing which is looking at the circumstances around Podmore's death in
August 2021.


As part of last year's proceedings current Cycling New Zealand boss Simon Peterson apologised to the family for behaviour at the organisation in the past, before he took the helm. He said Cycling New Zealand has undergone a cultural transformation since 2022.


The coroner doesn't determine liability but she will consider a number of issues, including whether the high performance system did enough for
Podmore's mental health challenges after she uncovered an inappropriate athlete-coach relationship in the Cycling New Zealand programme.


Jessica Massey, who was a team manager at CNZ, said taking part in the
inquest has validated her experiences.


"I'd been marginalised the whole way through the decade, every time I'd tried to report something and all of a sudden there was these important people in a room all backing up what each other was saying."


Watch more on this story on TVNZ+


High Performance Sport New Zealand boss Raelene Castle also took the stand
and addressed Podmore's family directly when closing her evidence.


"What I can promise you is that everything we do at High Performance Sport is about trying to make sure that we don't find ourselves in this situation
again, so it is a very real legacy for Olivia in this truly tragic process."


Those close to Podmore hope her legacy brings about change.


"Obviously positive change, that's what we want. Athletes to be protected, young people to have a better environment, pathway, safer," Middleton said.

Massey agreed this can't happen again.


"There were so many points in Liv's journey where someone just needed to push harder or advocate or hear her."


Podmore's mum has no doubt what her daughter would think if she was still
here.


"I think Livvy would be proud that we're fighting so hard for her and that it wasn't in vain."

The family say it's particularly important the coroner gets the truth, no matter how hard it is for them to hear.


The continuation of the inquest in Christchurch has been scheduled for three days.

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