Rowing: Anna Watkins set to take a long-term break

January 27, 2025

Olympic champion Anna Watkins is taking a long-term break from rowing - but hasn’t ruled out a comeback in 2020.

Anna-WATKINS-Katherine-GRAINGER

Watkins and Katherine Grainger (pictured) powered to double sculls gold at London 2012 but haven’t been in a boat since. Watkins gave birth to her first child in September last year while four-time Olympic medallist Grainger took a sabbatical to complete her studies and has yet to make a decision on her future.

“The Olympics in your home country is truly a great experience, one that I’ll find hard to better,” she said.

“I feel very, very fortunate.

“Post London I knew I’d have an enormous quandary on my hands, especially after having William. As an athlete, I have put so much into rowing, it took everything I had to get to that level.

“Now has come a time where rowing has to take a back seat for a while whilst other life changing events take precedence.

“I definitely have the drive to want to do it all again. Rio is pretty unlikely, I’m kind of busy! But a Tokyo 2020 comeback is a really exciting idea.”

Lizzie Flint, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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Rowing: Anna Watkins set to take a long-term break

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