TOP ROWERS
> The best of British – Katherine Grainger & Anna Watkins
University. She is now – albeit slowly – working
on her PhD in law from Kings College, London.
The topic: homicide and psychopathy.
>
“I’m currently looking at the very serious end of
murder - multiple murderers, sadistic killings, etc.,”
says Grainger. “I am very happy to report that
there are not very many similarities to rowing
at this time!”
rowing on her mind when she began her studies
at Cambridge University. “I was looking for a way
to get fit,” says Watkins. Prior to that Watkins
had done a bit of swimming and other sports
but claims she was not particularly good at any
of them.
Although Watkins views her road to elite rowing as
being a long path, within three years of taking up
the sport she was on the national team picking up
a Rowing World Cup and under- 23 gold. Within six
years she had a World Championship medal. She
also collected the British University record on the
indoor rowing machine and has since done a better
time - which she chooses not to disclose. “It’s a
secret. I would like to get the fastest girls in the
world together and battle it out with them, though.
I don’t think we know what the ‘real’ world record is.”
At the start of 2010 Watkins found herself rowing
in a double with Great Britain’s top female rower.
“It started off with mutual respect as we really
didn’t know each other well at the beginning of
last season,” says Watkins. “It has been very easy
though, we have a similar approach and the same
high standards and we both thrive on racing. We
are definitely close friends now.”
At the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Grainger
earned silver in the women’s quadruple sculls. It
was her third Olympic silver and not the colour
she was after. Grainger did some reflecting and
decided to continue on to the 2012 London
Olympic Games in pursuit of that elusive gold.
She began her four-yearly cycle in the single
finishing the 2009 season with an unexpected but
welcomed world championship silver. Grainger,
and long-term coach Paul Thompson, discussed
her opportunities leading up to 2012.
“Anna and Katherine have many skills and attributes
that get their boat really moving,” says Thompson.
“They have length, power and a good rhythm as
well as respect for each other. They work very well
together.” Their approach to racing is different
but complimentary. Katherine’s approach is
very passionate and instinctive
and Anna likes routine, keeping
a simple focus and getting the
most out of herself.”
Anna Watkins (b) and
Katherine Grainger (s) of
Great Britain competing
in the Women’s Double
Sculls at the 2010 Rowing
World Cup in Lucerne,
Switzerland.
Thompson, Great Britain’s chief coach of women
and lightweights, describes the decision: “In our
training camps Katherine and Anna rowed in
the double and performed well within the squad
environment. They also performed strongly in
their singles, coming first and second in the GB
senior trials. I had a conversation about whether
she [Katherine] wanted to continue down the
single path, or look for a crew boat challenge. She
and I agreed the crew boat would be strong and
to follow that path.”
Watkins then went on to race at the Beijing
Olympic Games and, in one of the closest finishes
of the regatta, earned an Olympic bronze in the
women’s double sculls.
After Beijing, Watkins squeezed in a marriage
ceremony, in between training camps. “We
had a choice of September or September,”
says Watkins. “The choice was so limited that
Matthew Wells (from the British men’s double
sculls), got married on the same day. The men’s
squad went to his (wedding) and the women’s
squad came to mine.” The honeymoon was fitted
into the post-World Championship training break.
The duo’s sole focus now is
getting that elusive Olympic
gold on their home waters
at the 2012 London
Olympic Games,
and at some point
finding time to
finish their PhDs.
Meanwhile, Watkins, 28, had been discovered
through GB Rowing’s talent ID programme - the
Start Programme. Watkins (nee Bebington) had
Watkins, like Grainger, is working on her PhD (in
mathematics), but says it is suffering badly and
on hold for now.
