to Michael Phelps
20
Michael Phelps and his eight olympic gold medals in swimming were one of the
sporting highlights of the 2008 Games in Beijing. the nature of rowing does not
allow an athlete to win more than two medals at any given Games, but the
accomplishments of rowing athletes are nonetheless just as remarkable. our sport
has seen individuals who, through ongoing perseverance and energy, have
medalled repeatedly at consecutive Games, in some cases over a 20-year period.
Rowing’s most famous example is Great
Britain’s Sir SteveRedgrave and his five
Olympic gold medals won at five different
Games , starting at the 1984 Olympics in Los
Angeles and ending at the Sydney Games in
2000. But since Athens 2004, Redgrave is no
longer an exception in rowing’s record books.
Less famous outside of the rowing world yet
just as noteworthy are Romania’s Elisabeta
Lipa and Georgeta Andrunache-Damian who
now hold the same score.
and eight has been Andrunache-Damian’s
trademark since Sydney. Will she do so again
in London 2012? “Right now I need a long
rest. I’d like to have another baby, be quiet for
a while and then think about racing at the
Games - London will be a great opportunity
to attempt a new record,” says Andrunache
-Damian. “What happened to me this year
[Olympic gold and bronze] is fabulous. It was
magical! First of all because I promised my
son a medal and brought it back with me.”
Such accomplishments do not come without
sacrifices, as Andrunache-Damian confirms:
“I’ve made many sacrifices in my sports
career. The biggest one has been to stay
away from the two dear men in my life – my
husband and son – for two years.” Doubling
up at the Olympic Games in the women’s pair
How do athletes “hang in there” year after
year, World Championship after World
Championship, Olympic cycle after Olympic
cycle? What spurs them on?
Marit van Eupen from
the Netherlands
With her four world titles and three Olympic
silvers, Great Britain’s most medalled female
rower, Katherine Grainger, has been through
the cycle time and time again, finding the
motivation to keep on moving: “I won’t deny
the fact that it can be very tough to maintain
the necessary levels of enthusiasm and drive
year after year, especially in Britain where the
weather always provides its own difficulties!
But underlying the pain, stress and exhaustion
lies a love of the sport and an excitement to
be facing enormous challenges with a great
bunch of people.” >>
