Harnessing Talent Athlete

Frances Houghton - Olympic Medallist and World Champion - Rowing

Biography

Frances started rowing aged 11 at the Dragon School in Oxford. She competed in her first World Junior Championships in 1996 at the age of 15, finishing 4th in the quadruple scull. In 1998 she rowed in a double with Debbie Flood the bronze, which was the first junior women's sculling medal for GB. She was also accomplished on the rowing machine, setting a new junior British record and winning the World Junior Indoor Rowing Championships in 1999.

Between 2000 and 2004 Frances was unbeaten at the GB Rowing Senior Trials and went on to race in the women's quadruple scull all season in 2005; winning two World Cup gold’s, a World Cup silver and a World Championship gold. In 2006 and 2007 she won the overall quad title for the series’ and raced in the quad in the 2008 World Cup series, finishing 1st and 3rd.

Since 2005, Houghton has won three world championships and has represented GB at the past three Olympic Games. Frances achieved a silver medal at Athens in the quadruple scull, but in Beijing, despite leading for much of the race was beaten to the Gold by the Chinese crew in the last few hundred meters of the race.

Frances is currently working towards becoming a qualified cook. She has also spent time tutoring Spanish, as well as studying for a Diploma in Translation (Spanish to English) with the Institute of Linguists, which is to gain a qualification to translate written texts. She is also keen to put in place for young athletes the kind of opportunities she was given at a young age.

Click here to see her Competitive History

Click here to see how Frances and DKH Legacy Trust are working together