ROWeRS OF the FUtURe
GREEcE’S tSIAvOU
© 2007 Getty Images
between dream and reality
12
When Alexandra tsiavou began to row, she began to dream. initially, to be sporty was simply to be healthy. But the Greek
gymnast turned rower had a coach who saw more: «he made me dream of becoming a champion,» says tsiavou. And that is
what she became. At 22, the two-time under-23 world champion in the lightweight single also has a european Championship
gold and a bronze medal at World Championship level in the lightweight double.
Alexandra Tsiavou of Greece.
Beyond her current success, Tsiavou considers
the future: "I now have to take another step
forward." That next step is leading her to the
Far East, to Beijing, China, as a fifth-place finish
in the lightweight double at the 2007 World
Rowing Championships in Munich qualified
her and crewmate Chrysi Biskitzi to race at
next year’s Olympic Games. "When my coach
mentioned Beijing a few years ago, I thought
he was joking." Intense preparation is taking
place and now Beijing is no joke at all - it is
becoming reality.
Tsiavou got a taste of Olympic racing when
her home country hosted the 2004 Games:
"I went to see the finals and when I saw the
first one, the women’s single sculls, I became
very emotional and began to cry." The newly-graduated primary school teacher hopes
to receive support to keep on training until
2012: "I’ll first head to the Olympics in 2008
and then decide. You know life changes all
the time, it’s unpredictable."
Despite the Greek national team’s growing
success in recent years, rowing in the Hellenic
Republic is not popular. "People often confuse
it with kayak or think you go fishing. Those
are the only kind of rowing boats they know
of," explains Tsiavou. She took up rowing at
age 13 not because she was attracted to it,
but "because there was nothing else to do."
Quite a relationship has developed between
Tsiavou and her boat since those early days:
"For me, rowing is a way to have a good time."
Today, if she were to meet people who did
not know what sport to choose, she would
tell them to "try out rowing and feel the
freedom it gives." Part of having a good time
is being at rowing events: "I’m trying to enjoy
