Although they had won the national pairs title twice in a row, they were overlooked for Olympic selection.

When they came second at the World Rowing Cup at Rotsee in Lucerne, they were called up not long before the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

[3] The New Zealanders won their repechage and thus qualified for the A final,[4] where they came third, putting a five-second margin between themselves and the East German team in fourth place.

[6] At the 1989 World Rowing Championships in Bled, Yugoslavia, Payne and Hannen came sixth in the coxless pair.

[7] At the 1990 World Rowing Championships in Tasmania, Australia, Hannen competed in two events.