Olympic Gold for rower Georgie Brayshaw

Posted on 2 August 2024

The University of York’s Head of Sport has spoken of his pride after rower Georgie Brayshaw clinched Olympic Gold in the women’s quadruple sculls.

Georgie with some of her rowing friends at the University Boat House (pictured in the middle row with blue top and patterned leggings)

Georgie was part of the British Rowing GB Start programme which had a base at the University of York and was able to access facilities, such as the University rowing club, gym and catering.

The University continues to support the Start programme within Yorkshire, helping to identify and train potential Olympic rowers.

Georgie, 30, from Leeds, and crew-mates Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson and Hannah Scott claimed gold in a dramatic race to the line with the Netherlands.

The team won in six minutes 16.31 seconds, with the Dutch team just 0.15 seconds behind them.

Kieth Morris, Head of Sport at York Sport said: “There is a huge sense of pride here at the University of York on seeing Olympic champion Georgie Brayshaw achieve the success that her commitment and dedication deserves.

“Supporting British Rowing and athletes identified as having potential to achieve Olympic success was always a collective goal and Georgie was one of the best as she has proven with her crew members.

“We have a proud history of rowing at the University of York and for us to have played even a small part in the journey of an Olympic champion is something we are all very proud of.”

When Georgie was 15 she had a horse riding accident resulting in a serious head injury which put her in a coma and left her paralysed on her left side.

After a year of rehab, physiotherapy and a huge amount of determination, she returned to school and did well in her exams and progressed to the University of Northampton where she took up rowing in her second year.

Georgie, who was not a student at York, joined Leeds Rowing Club because she wanted to keep fit and was later introduced to the GB team via the York Start programme.