| Combined Services Sports Awards, March 2009 |
|
Last week I was absolutely delighted to receive the award for Sportsman of the Year 2008 at the Combined Services Sports Awards.
The lunch and ceremony were held at the RAF Club on Piccadilly during the Eights Head of the River training week. I won this special award in 2005 after the World Championships but it was a huge surprise to win it again after I noticed that no one had ever won for a second time. The Services are filled with men and women competing at national and international standard in a huge variety of sports, which makes the award even more humbling.
Other news: the Eights Head is over – My Leander Club crew was beaten by ‘the Great Eight’ from Tideway Scullers. Of course, I don’t like losing (by big distances or, in this case, narrow margins), but we had a good row considering the time we had together and sometimes you have to learn that you may have just been racing a faster crew and you have to live with that. I’m lucky enough to have won more times than not in a rowing boat, so it is memories like the one from this years race that will stick with me in tough training times. Congratulations to the 8 Olympic scullers who put that strong boat together.
Now I’m back in my pair, we have a 2K race on the ergos, a training camp in Italy and final selection trials in Belgium all within touching distance. Lots to look forward to. |
.jpg "Image")
The support from the Royal Navy and the Combined Services Sports Board has been a key ingredient to the success of last year and the four year journey leading up to the Olympics. After the Olympic final, I was interviewed about the race and took the time to thank the Royal Navy. That wasn’t a formality or something that I was told/asked to say; I really am grateful to everyone in the Royal Navy who has supported me on so many levels and for the chance to do what I love everyday. Thank you. | < Prev | Next > |
|---|
