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CNN Live Today

Interview With Twin Brothers, Scot, Sean Hollonbeck

Aired July 04, 2003 - 10:12   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now another story of success from the Peachtree Road Race. This one can't be measured in running times or finishes, but twin brothers, Sean and Scot Hollonbeck, took part as wheelers in the Peachtree Road Race wheelchair division. Scot is a world-class road racer, who has been a paraplegic since 1984 and competing in this race for 14 years. For his twin, Sean, well, this is a first. The U.S. Special Ops flight surgeon doesn't need a wheelchair, but he wanted to compete because his brother asked him to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HOLLONBECK, 10K WHEELER: The doomsayers and the no-no'ers (ph), or whatever you want to call them, they were, like, oh, boy, you people are going to take over the sport. You should have seen Shawn falling out of the wheelchair! And so, he rolls up, and he goes, "Oh, they're taking over!"

SCOT HOLLONBECK, 10K WHEELER: The pack took off without me, and I didn't pass anybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, well, both of them join us with their stories. Congratulations to both of you for finishing the race.

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Thanks so much.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: All right. well, Sean...

SCOT HOLLONBECK: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) people were cleaning up their garbage.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes. I see, there's a little bit of activity behind you, quite a few people out there.

Well, you know, Sean, I'll let me begin with you. You've been watching your brother, Scot, do this race for so many years. How in the world did he talk you into doing this with him?

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Well, he told me it was a flat course, and I've actually never run the course, so that's one of the reasons. But, you know, he didn't have to talk me into it. I really wanted to do it. I've wanted to do a race for years, and the opportunity arose and I jumped on it.

WHITFIELD: And you were not the only non-disabled racer who was part of this wheelchair race. There was also another Canadian who did something very similar. His brother was also an avid racer. So, when you went into this knowing that your brother is a two-time gold Olympian medalist in the Barcelona games during the Paralympics, you surely knew that you weren't going to actually try and beat out your brother now, did you?

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Well, I mean, I knew there was some speculation that I might not beat him, but he was right, yes. No, I wanted to finish. Trust me, if you want to try it next year, you'll be right there with me just wanting to finish.

WHITFIELD: And so, Scot...

SCOT HOLLONBECK: I'm glad you clarified that point, because he was talking some trash before the race.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Oh, I'm sure, as brothers do.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Yes.

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Yes.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: The record has been set.

WHITFIELD: Well, Scot, did you give him any pointers leading into it?

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Actually, Sean informed me after the race that he was firing me as his coach and his equipment manager. But, yes, we trained together for about a month-and-a-half. Once he got back from Iraq we got to turn it up a little bit. And I tried to give as much information as I could. The problem is, he's my brother and he doesn't want to listen to me because he knows everything. So, what are you going to do?

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right...

SCOT HOLLONBECK: I want to jump in with the...

WHITFIELD: Yes, go ahead.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: ... the Canadian team, they've got a better program going.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, Scot, how did you do?

SCOT HOLLONBECK: You know, I was seventh. I was about a minute off the win.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: So, I was real happy with that time. Hey, all right! Garbage truck. Whatever. Sorry, people. So, I ran -- I think I ran just under my best time here. We had a baby last week actually right across the street at Piedmont (ph), and let's just say my training and my sleep is a little off.

WHITFIELD: Oh, OK, well, that's understood.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: So, you know, that's my excuse for not winning.

WHITFIELD: But you all finished, and I'm glad to hear that.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: That's right.

WHITFIELD: Sean, I understand that you came in maybe not in the top 10, but you finished the race. Congratulations to both of you.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Thank you very much.

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sean and Scot Hollonbeck, thanks very much for joining us. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.







Aired July 4, 2003 - 10:12   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Now another story of success from the Peachtree Road Race. This one can't be measured in running times or finishes, but twin brothers, Sean and Scot Hollonbeck, took part as wheelers in the Peachtree Road Race wheelchair division. Scot is a world-class road racer, who has been a paraplegic since 1984 and competing in this race for 14 years. For his twin, Sean, well, this is a first. The U.S. Special Ops flight surgeon doesn't need a wheelchair, but he wanted to compete because his brother asked him to.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEAN HOLLONBECK, 10K WHEELER: The doomsayers and the no-no'ers (ph), or whatever you want to call them, they were, like, oh, boy, you people are going to take over the sport. You should have seen Shawn falling out of the wheelchair! And so, he rolls up, and he goes, "Oh, they're taking over!"

SCOT HOLLONBECK, 10K WHEELER: The pack took off without me, and I didn't pass anybody.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WHITFIELD: All right, well, both of them join us with their stories. Congratulations to both of you for finishing the race.

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Thanks so much.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Thanks.

WHITFIELD: All right. well, Sean...

SCOT HOLLONBECK: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) people were cleaning up their garbage.

WHITFIELD: Oh, yes. I see, there's a little bit of activity behind you, quite a few people out there.

Well, you know, Sean, I'll let me begin with you. You've been watching your brother, Scot, do this race for so many years. How in the world did he talk you into doing this with him?

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Well, he told me it was a flat course, and I've actually never run the course, so that's one of the reasons. But, you know, he didn't have to talk me into it. I really wanted to do it. I've wanted to do a race for years, and the opportunity arose and I jumped on it.

WHITFIELD: And you were not the only non-disabled racer who was part of this wheelchair race. There was also another Canadian who did something very similar. His brother was also an avid racer. So, when you went into this knowing that your brother is a two-time gold Olympian medalist in the Barcelona games during the Paralympics, you surely knew that you weren't going to actually try and beat out your brother now, did you?

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Well, I mean, I knew there was some speculation that I might not beat him, but he was right, yes. No, I wanted to finish. Trust me, if you want to try it next year, you'll be right there with me just wanting to finish.

WHITFIELD: And so, Scot...

SCOT HOLLONBECK: I'm glad you clarified that point, because he was talking some trash before the race.

(CROSSTALK)

WHITFIELD: Oh, I'm sure, as brothers do.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Yes.

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Yes.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: The record has been set.

WHITFIELD: Well, Scot, did you give him any pointers leading into it?

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Actually, Sean informed me after the race that he was firing me as his coach and his equipment manager. But, yes, we trained together for about a month-and-a-half. Once he got back from Iraq we got to turn it up a little bit. And I tried to give as much information as I could. The problem is, he's my brother and he doesn't want to listen to me because he knows everything. So, what are you going to do?

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Right.

WHITFIELD: All right...

SCOT HOLLONBECK: I want to jump in with the...

WHITFIELD: Yes, go ahead.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: ... the Canadian team, they've got a better program going.

WHITFIELD: All right, well, Scot, how did you do?

SCOT HOLLONBECK: You know, I was seventh. I was about a minute off the win.

WHITFIELD: Fantastic.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: So, I was real happy with that time. Hey, all right! Garbage truck. Whatever. Sorry, people. So, I ran -- I think I ran just under my best time here. We had a baby last week actually right across the street at Piedmont (ph), and let's just say my training and my sleep is a little off.

WHITFIELD: Oh, OK, well, that's understood.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: So, you know, that's my excuse for not winning.

WHITFIELD: But you all finished, and I'm glad to hear that.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: That's right.

WHITFIELD: Sean, I understand that you came in maybe not in the top 10, but you finished the race. Congratulations to both of you.

SCOT HOLLONBECK: Thank you very much.

SEAN HOLLONBECK: Thank you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Sean and Scot Hollonbeck, thanks very much for joining us. Appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.