Olympic gold medallist Sir Steve Redgrave had reason to celebrate this weekend after his daughter, Natalie, was part of the winning team in the University Boat Race.
The 19-year-old Oxford student - who's father rowed his way to gold at five consecutive Olympic games - took to the water today as part of the Women's Boat Race team.
She was part of the Blue Boat squad, taking on Cambridge in Henley-on-Thames.
Proud parents: Sir Steve Redgrave and wife Ann with their daughter, Natalie, after seeing her win the Oxford v Cambridge Women's Boat Race at Henley-on-Thames
Born winners: Sir Steve enjoys a hug with his daughter Natalie
Natalie, a medicine student at Pembroke College, Oxford, said that she never took rowing seriously until starting university and was lured to sign up by the offer of a free barbecue afterwards.
Natalie, a medicine student at Pembroke College, Oxford, told the Telegraph that she got into rowing entirely by accident after signing up for the college boat club during an event at freshers' week.
She then became captain of the college boat team before making her way into the Oxford squad.
The university's victory in the women's race came a day after the men's team won the 157th Xchanging Boat Race by four lengths.
After watching his eldest child take part in the race Sir Steve said: 'I'm really proud of her. She's got the ability to go to a higher level.
'It's funny because she has always been adamant she wasn't going to row. But when we found out she started rowing we were pleasantly surprised.
Natalie Redgrave: The 19-year-old helped the Oxford Women's team to victory
Tired but happy: The Dark Blues squad celebrates after the gruelling 2,000 metre race
'Her mother started rowing at university and in two years was competing internationally and at the Olympics - so we have high hopes for her.
'Obviously there is pressure heaped on her because I'm her father but she's taking it really well, better than I thought.'
Natalie said: 'It feels fantastic. I spoke to him (her dad) last night and he just told me to keep calm.
'He came down and watched me train a couple of times. For a long time people were always asking me when I was going to take up rowing and it was getting quite annoying.
'I never wanted to be a rower or a doctor but I've ended up taking both.
'I decided I'm my own person and I'm going to do it for me.
It was a victorious weekend for Oxford as the men's squad beat Cambridge a day earlier
Flashback: Natalie plays with her father's gold medal after he won the coxless pairs gold medal in Barcelona in 1992
'You can have all the right genes and quality but it is the work you have to put in to go with it.
'At the age of 13 I did my first bit of sculling and didn't really enjoy it and then started at university and really got into it.'
Natalie was born in July 1991, just one month before her father - who has overcome ulcerative colitis and diabetes during his sporting career - won his first gold medal with Matthew Pinsent at the Rowing World Championships in Vienna.
He also took the gold at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, 1988's games in Seoul, the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, the Atlanta games in 1996 and the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
He has also won nine gold medals, two silver medals and a bronze at the World Rowing Championships and three gold medals in the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh.
The Women's Boat Race first took place in Henley-on-Thames in 1927, although it has not taken place every year since then. Today's race was the 66th since the event began and was the Oxford women's squad's fourth victory.
The idea for the Boat Race originally came from two students - Charles Merivale, who was studying at Cambridge, and his former schoolfriend Charles Wordsworth - nephew of the poet William - who was a student at Oxford.
The first race was held in Henley-on-Thames in 1829 and was reportedly attended by around 20,000 spectators. However it did not become an annual event until 1856.
No comments:
Post a Comment