Before the Games we spotted them on Instagram, the Reading University Rowing team qualified for the Lightweight Women's double Sculls and Lightweight Quadruple Sculls competition and they shared their whole preparation, trainings and diet on Instagram. We found it quite innovative and during the Games we’ve been chasing them for a short interview. Luckily, we caught them right after they won the gold medal in the 4 lightweight. 

Find their instagram account here!

We’ve been following you on Instagram and for us it was really fun to see a team sharing their preparation, why did you decide to do that?

Two of the girls we’ve never made it international before and it would be a project as a group and it would kind of help us, do it more together, like a squad thing together by sharing news and our trainings as well. 

Because the training is not very fun, dieting is horrible so to have something to make it a tiny bit more endurable, to make it feel it nice, to make it fun. 

So how long have been preparing for the Games, this preparation and diet?

We came second in BUCS which is the national competition, so since then we knew that we would be coming here in Zagreb, so we had a few weeks of diet and then we worked in other cruise preparing for other events in England. 

Me and two other also trained heavyweight so we were dieting but also racing people that were all heavier than us!

How many times a week are you training when you are back home? 

Twice a day! *unanimous voice*

But do you also compete in non university sport competitions in clubs?

We compete for Reading University but at events where non university are represented.

Do you have chances now to go the World Universities Championships or Universiade?

I thing that the Games are the biggest thing that we could do for the University, then it is a different process. So you have to do it in a completely different way.

What’s next then now that you’ve won?

Oh we’re done! Well the other two still have a race in a few hours. Party tonight, chocolate and beers.

So you train twice a day, that’s a lot when you are a student, when you have to combine your trainings and studies…how does that work for you? I it complicated, what do you both studies?

It’s just train in the morning, do you studies and then train in the afternoon. It’s a struggle but it works. 

Do you have support from the university to do that, for example a more flexible schedule or curricula?

*laughs* No…not really!

You’ve just got to man up and deal with it!

It would be useful, very useful to have more support from our university

I’m in my first year, so coming to University and suddenly going into this is all quite scary and difficult. Obviously having all the various help from other peers, without no support from the University, but I think this is quite normal in England. 

Do you get some funding to come here?

Yes, it was quite an expensive trip and they covered for a large part of it. 

Did you meet with other teams from other countries? Did you have time to exchange with them?

We talked mostly with other teams from our country and tonight hopefully as well!

Thanks a lot and congratulations again for the gold medal!  (Later on that day, their two partners won also gold in the 2 lightweight)

Before leaving, the girls were kind enough to share a few thoughts about the Games and how to make it an even better athlete’s experience for the next ones.