Katherine Grainger
Encyclopedia
Katherine Grainger MBE
(born 12 November 1975 in Glasgow
) is a Scottish
rower.
Her family moved to Netherley
, Aberdeenshire
and Katherine represents Edinburgh's St Andrew Boat Club in rowing events. She trained on the River Dee
, which has the distinction of being the only river she has fallen into whilst rowing.
She is a three time Olympic silver medalist. She first won silver at Sydney in 2000
in the woman's quadruple sculls with Guin Batten
, Gillian Lindsay
and Miriam Batten
losing to a German team. Four years later in Athens in 2004
, She won silver again when she took part in the coxless pairs with Cath Bishop
losing to Georgeta Damian
and
Viorica Susanu
of Romania
. She returned to the quadruple sculls in Beijing 2008
when she won her third silver with Annie Vernon
, Debbie Flood
and Frances Houghton
narrowly losing to China
after taking the lead for some of the race.
Grainger has also won eight medals at World Championships. The first of these was a bronze in 1997 in the eight, then a gold with Bishop in 2003, a gold in 2005 with the quadruple scull, with Houghton, Sarah Winckless
, and Rebecca Romero
, and in 2006 her quadruple scull were promoted to gold following a drugs test on the winning Russian crew. This quad had Debbie Flood instead of Romero, who had retired after the 2005 world championships. Another gold came in 2007, again in the quadruple sculls, with Annie Vernon replacing the injured Sarah Winckless. In 2009, having switched to the single scull after the Beijing Olympics, Grainger claimed a surprise silver at the World Championships in Poland. In 2010, Grainger teamed up with Anna Watkins in the Double Sculls and they embarked on an unbeaten season, culminating in victory in November in the World Championships in Lake Karapiro, New Zealand and then defending the title in an injury disrupted season in 2011, in Bled, Slovenia.
She has also won the Rowing World Cup in the Quadruple Sculls in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 and the Double Sculls in 2010.
Grainger has an Honours law degree from Edinburgh University, a Master of Philosophy degree in Medical Law
from Glasgow University and is currently studying for a PhD in law at King's College London
.
She took up Rowing at the University of Edinburgh in 1993 and was President of the Edinburgh University Boat Club
in 1996/97. She was elected the Edinburgh University Sports Union
's female athlete of the winner (Eva Bailey Cup) in 1995/96 and 1996/97 and was inducted to the University's Sports Hall of Fame on the 29th of May 2008. She was elected as Honorary President of the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association
in November 2005, and a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta
in 2008, only the third rower to be elected while still competing.
In July 2008 Katherine appears in the BBC TWO
cooking show Chinese Food Made Easy
with Ching He Huang
.In the show Ching teaches her how to cook a healthy version of sweet and sour pork
.The show attracted 2.9 million viewers at a share of 13% that night.
She was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) on 17 June 2006.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 12 November 1975 in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
) is a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
rower.
Her family moved to Netherley
Netherley
Netherley is an area in the city of Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is bordered by Belle Vale and situated near to Huyton and Tarbock.Netherley is in Liverpool City Council ward of Belle Vale...
, Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
and Katherine represents Edinburgh's St Andrew Boat Club in rowing events. She trained on the River Dee
River Dee, Aberdeenshire
The River Dee is a river in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It rises in the Cairngorms and flows through Strathdee to reach the North Sea at Aberdeen...
, which has the distinction of being the only river she has fallen into whilst rowing.
She is a three time Olympic silver medalist. She first won silver at Sydney in 2000
Rowing at the 2000 Summer Olympics
Final results for the Rowing events at the 2000 Summer Olympics:The event is probably most noted for Steve Redgrave's winning his fifth Olympic gold medal in as many games in the British men's coxless four. However, there were a number of other dramatic races. Both the men's and women's single...
in the woman's quadruple sculls with Guin Batten
Guin Batten
Guin Batten is a British rower . She at the 2000 Summer Olympics in the quadruple scull with her elder sister Miriam Batten, Gillian Lindsay and Katherine Grainger....
, Gillian Lindsay
Gillian Lindsay
Gillian Lindsay is a Scottish rower.- References :* at sports-reference.com...
and Miriam Batten
Miriam Batten
Miriam Batten is a British rower. She won silver at the 2000 Summer Olympics in the quadruple scull with her younger sister Guin Batten and gold at the 1998 World Rowing Championships in the double scull with Gillian Lindsay....
losing to a German team. Four years later in Athens in 2004
Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Rowing at the 2004 Summer Olympics took place at the Schinias Olympic Rowing and Canoeing Centre and featured 550 competitors taking part in 14 events....
, She won silver again when she took part in the coxless pairs with Cath Bishop
Cath Bishop
Catherine Bishop is a former British rower.She was educated at Westcliff High School for Girls. Bishop has a BA in modern languages from Pembroke College, Cambridge, a master's in international politics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth and a Ph.D...
losing to Georgeta Damian
Georgeta Damian
Georgeta Damian-Andrunache is a female rower from Romania and winner of five Olympic gold medals. She is married to Valeriu Andrunache....
and
Viorica Susanu
Viorica Susanu
Viorica Susanu is a Romanian rower and winner of four Olympic Gold medals.Susanu rowed in the Romanian women's eight that won the rowing World Championships in 1997, 1998 and 1999, and the 2000 Summer Olympics...
of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. She returned to the quadruple sculls in Beijing 2008
Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Rowing competitions at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing were held from August 9 to August 17, at the Shunyi Olympic Rowing-Canoeing Park.- Events :14 sets of medals were awarded in the following events:*Single sculls men*Pairs men...
when she won her third silver with Annie Vernon
Annie Vernon
Annabel Morwenna Vernon is an English rower.She was educated at Wadebridge School, Downing College, Cambridge and King's College London ....
, Debbie Flood
Debbie Flood
Deborah Kirsty "Debbie" Flood is an English female rower, noteworthy for winning Silver Medals in the Quadruple Sculls at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games....
and Frances Houghton
Frances Houghton
Frances Julia P. Houghton is an English female rower, noteworthy for winning Silver Medals in the Quadruple Sculls at both the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games....
narrowly losing to China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
after taking the lead for some of the race.
Grainger has also won eight medals at World Championships. The first of these was a bronze in 1997 in the eight, then a gold with Bishop in 2003, a gold in 2005 with the quadruple scull, with Houghton, Sarah Winckless
Sarah Winckless
Sarah Winckless is a former British rower. She won a bronze medal in Double sculls with her partner Elise Laverick at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, and was twice world champion, in 2005 and 2006....
, and Rebecca Romero
Rebecca Romero
Rebecca Jayne Romero MBE is an English sportsperson, a former World Champion and Olympic Games medallist at rowing, and a former World champion and reigning Olympic champion track cyclist.-Biography:...
, and in 2006 her quadruple scull were promoted to gold following a drugs test on the winning Russian crew. This quad had Debbie Flood instead of Romero, who had retired after the 2005 world championships. Another gold came in 2007, again in the quadruple sculls, with Annie Vernon replacing the injured Sarah Winckless. In 2009, having switched to the single scull after the Beijing Olympics, Grainger claimed a surprise silver at the World Championships in Poland. In 2010, Grainger teamed up with Anna Watkins in the Double Sculls and they embarked on an unbeaten season, culminating in victory in November in the World Championships in Lake Karapiro, New Zealand and then defending the title in an injury disrupted season in 2011, in Bled, Slovenia.
She has also won the Rowing World Cup in the Quadruple Sculls in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2010 and the Double Sculls in 2010.
Grainger has an Honours law degree from Edinburgh University, a Master of Philosophy degree in Medical Law
Medical law
Medical law is the branch of law which concerns the prerogatives and responsibilities of medical professionals and the rights of the patient. It should not be confused with medical jurisprudence, which is a branch of medicine, rather than a branch of law....
from Glasgow University and is currently studying for a PhD in law at King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
.
She took up Rowing at the University of Edinburgh in 1993 and was President of the Edinburgh University Boat Club
Edinburgh University Boat Club
Edinburgh University Boat Club is one of the oldest sports clubs within The University of Edinburgh, in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland....
in 1996/97. She was elected the Edinburgh University Sports Union
Edinburgh University Sports Union
Edinburgh University Sports Union is the representative body of the 55 Full and 12 Associate Member Sports Clubs and its Members. Its Members are defined as:#matriculated students of the University...
's female athlete of the winner (Eva Bailey Cup) in 1995/96 and 1996/97 and was inducted to the University's Sports Hall of Fame on the 29th of May 2008. She was elected as Honorary President of the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association
Scottish Amateur Rowing Association
Scottish Rowing , formerly the Scottish Amateur Rowing Association, is the governing body for the sport of rowing in Scotland. It is responsible for promoting the sport in Scotland and also for selecting crews to send to the Home International Regatta and the Commonwealth Rowing...
in November 2005, and a Steward of Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
in 2008, only the third rower to be elected while still competing.
In July 2008 Katherine appears in the BBC TWO
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
cooking show Chinese Food Made Easy
Chinese Food Made Easy
Chinese Food Made Easy by Ching He Huang is a 6-part cooking television series commissioned and shown by BBC Two and BBC HD.-Overview:The series contains Ching's own versions of easy to make Chinese Food, spicy Szechuan food, Noodles, Dim sum, Sea Food, Fast Food, Desserts and Celebratory Food,...
with Ching He Huang
Ching He Huang
Ching-He Huang is a Taiwanese-born British food writer, food entrepreneur and TV chef who has appeared in a variety of television cooking shows. Ching has starred in three popular TV series and is the author of five best-selling cookbooks...
.In the show Ching teaches her how to cook a healthy version of sweet and sour pork
Sweet and sour pork
Sweet and sour pork is a Chinese dish that is particularly popular in Cantonese cuisine and may be found all over the world. A traditional Jiangsu dish called Pork in a sugar and vinegar sauce is considered its ancestor....
.The show attracted 2.9 million viewers at a share of 13% that night.
She was created a Member of the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(MBE) on 17 June 2006.
External links
- Katherine Grainger’s official website
- British Olympic AssociationBritish Olympic AssociationThe British Olympic Association is the national Olympic committee for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It was formed in 1905 in the House of Commons, and at that time consisted of seven national governing body members from the following sports: fencing, life-saving, cycling, skating, rowing,...
profile - BBC TWO
- The Guardian tvratings