Lifeguard Karen hopes for rowing glory at Rio
A SWIMMING pool lifeguard is hoping to make a splash at the Olympics.
Karen Bennett, from Edinburgh, is set to follow in the wake of Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pincent and Katherine Grainger after being chosen to row for Britain in Rio.
She said: “There is a pressure of expectation given all the previous British Olympic successes in rowing.
“But the upside is that you know you are part of a sport where Britons have shown success is achievable.
“For that reason alone it is silly not to aim for anything other than a gold medal in Rio.”
Karen, a member of the women’s eight who this year won a European title and finished runners-up at the World Championships, began her Olympic journey in unusual circumstances.
“While studying sports therapy I saw an ad inviting people with a sporting background to undergo tests to see if they were suitable for specialist training in rowing, volleyball or handball.
“The ad was geared to London 2012 and I knew I couldn’t make up the ground to compete there, having never done any of these sports.
“But I found myself undergoing tests and a few weeks later a letter arrived inviting me to see how much potential I had in rowing.”
Karen, whose dad has just retired as an oil rig worker and whose mum works as a supervisor cook at Currie Primar y School, was born in Australia so qualifies to compete for both it and Britain.
“But I’ve never thought of myself as anything other than eligible for Team GB,” she said.