Harnessing Talent Athletes

Sarah Winckless - Olympic Medallist - Rowing

Biography:
An Olympic bronze medallist in Athens and member of the gold medal winning women's quad at the World Championships in 2005 and 2006, Sarah was unable to compete during the 2007 season due to injury. In the 2008 World Cup series she raced in the double finishing 5th in Munich and in Poznan in the eight she placed 3rd.
Sarah raced at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in the Women’s eight..

Sarah started rowing at Cambridge University and gained her first GB vest in the women's eight in 1998, finishing 8th in the World Championships. The following year she raced in the women's quad, achieving an Olympic qualifying place at the World Championships and went on to compete in the double in Sydney 2000, finishing 9th.

In 2003, Sarah raced in the quad that won a bronze medal at the Lucerne World Cup. The quad went on to qualify for the Athens Olympics, finishing 4th at the World Championships in Milan 0.3 of a second off a medal. This followed a 5th place in the quad at the Seville World Championships in 2002.

Sarah had a great season in 2004, winning her first senior medal in the double at the Olympic Games in Athens with Elise Laverick. They had shown their capability in a strong World Cup season and made no mistake in the Olympic final, producing an excellent scull to win the bronze medal. During the 2004 season Sarah earned the nickname 'super–sub' by also winning silver in the women's quadruple scull at the Munich World Cup as a replacement for an ill Frances Houghton.

In 2005 Sarah raced in the women's quad, winning gold at the World Cup regatta at Eton, gold in Munich and silver in Lucerne. They then capped a sensational season by winning World Championships gold in Japan in September. The 2006 World Cup brought success with gold in each of Poznan, Munich and Lucerne.

At the 2006 World Championships the women's quadruple scull fought an intense battle with Russia and were just beaten to the line in the dying metres of the race to take silver. In a strange twist of fate, their Russian conquerors later fell foul of a drugs test and the British women's quartet were restored, in January 2007, as rightful world champions once more.

Beijing was to be her last Olympics; she was selected in the Women’s eight. They had a strong medal possibility, but unfortunately the crew was hit with illness during the regatta. Racing the final with two substitutes on board and several crew members below par they put in a gutsy performance to beat the Australians and come fifth.

Click here to see Sarah's Competitive History

Click here to see how Sarah and DKH Legacy Trust are working together, and to find out about her 'giving back to sport' activities.