The Team GB Rowing squad achieved remarkable success at the Paris Olympic Games Regatta between July 27th and August 3rd returning with 8 medals from the 10 events entered, including 3 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze.
Among those providing inspiration to the next generation were rowers from the Northern region, with gold medals for ex-Newcastle University Boat Club athletes Lola Anderson in the Women’s quad, and Tom Ford and James Rudkin in the Men’s eight, while there were bronze medals for Tom’s sister Emily Ford (NUBC) and Lauren Irwin of Chester-le-Street Amateur Rowing Club and Durham University Boat Club in the Women’s eight.
Lauren was making history by being her hometown of Peterlee’s first ever Olympian. She decided to take up rowing after previously being a swimmer only when it was suggested to her at her local Comprehensive School, a story she relates in an interview with Durham University, “I was first introduced to rowing by my PE teacher at St Bede’s, Mrs Brown, when I was 14”.
After taking part in indoor rowing competitions leading up to one at Durham University she was introduced to Harriet Tebbs who was leading the Junior High Performance Academy there and to the Durham University Boat Club (DUBC) head coach Wade Hall-Craggs who suggested she join a rowing club.
Lauren with Chester-le-Street at Durham Regatta 2014
Upon joining the Academy she was able to train there with University athletes and went on to join Chester-le-Street ARC where she enjoyed being part of the big junior group there, being coached by Aaron Lewcock and Steven Thompson until she was 17, when she was first selected to represent Team GB in the Women’s Under-19 pair with Hope Cessford of Durham ARC at the 2016 World Junior Championships.
She then went to Durham Sixth Form Centre who were very supportive and helped her to balance her studies and training, before going on to Hild/Bede College at Durham University, studying at the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Science.
Chester-le-Street 8+ at Durham Regatta 2014
Ian Shore, as the women’s head coach, and Wade, as the head coach at DUBC, developed her as an athlete over the next three years. during which time she represented Great Britain as an Under 23 rower for three years in a row, winning a Gold Medal at the Under-23 World Rowing Championships in 2019.
Victories in the Remenham Challenge Cup and Town Challenge Cup while representing Leander Club at Henley Royal Regatta followed in 2021 after she moved to Henley when invited to join the GB rowing team after the Tokyo Olympics.
Success with the GB eight came in the World Cup Series in Lucerne in 2023.
The 25-year-old athlete and her crew secured their spot in the Olympic final on Saturday after a strong performance brought victory in the heat on Monday, taking bronze behind Romania and Canada in the final.
Photo top by Row360