Bishop Heber High School students rows to national glory

Oct 2 2008 by Andrew Bowan, Whitchurch Herald

LUCY Burgess is a ‘stroke’ of genius!

Oarswoman Lucy is the national GB rowing champ in the Junior 14 division after triumphing at the National Water Sports Centre in Nottingham.

Proud Lucy says she can’t stop smiling whenever someone mentions she’s the best of British!

“All of the hard work has paid off, I’ve done it,” she says in an emotional e-mail about her achievement to David Curry, her headteacher at Bishop Heber High School in Malpas.

The GCSE student, who lives in Hope, near Wrexham, won her heat and says she couldn’t wait for the final.

She said: “I knew what I wanted and the only way to get it was winning. I wanted the top spot on that podium. I wanted that title more than any other competitor.

“I have a very strong mind and when someone overtakes me I use it for more motivation. Many girls would just give in. Some of them have fear in their eyes and once you have taken them that is it, they don’t put up a fight. I’m a very different person, which is why I am national champion and they aren’t.

“In the final my biggest opposition came up, Natalie Hardy. She’s a very strong girl and my coach Val Edwards came to me and said I was the best and not to let it slip. I nodded and had my mind set on gold.

“Natalie led off the start and I was on her tail waiting to make my move. She’s not so strong in the middle of the race and that is when I broke her. I could see her fighting but she wasn’t strong enough to hold me.

“When I finished I stroked my boat and was crying, not just because of happiness but from the pain burning through my legs.

“I was on the point of blackout, a term we use when a sculler or rower has pushed themselves to the absolute limit.

“I felt all faint in my head but tapped the boat on and got out. I had huge hugs from everyone. It was the happiest moment of my life.”

She added: “Val was pretty pleased but went back to the river to watch my doubles partner Rosa Atkinson, and within the space of four minutes Rosa was a national champion as well. We had a big hug.

“It was overwhelming. I loved every minute. After the presentation I didn’t take my medal off all day.”

Lucy is now in winter training to prepare for long-distance winter races.

Part of the training will include a visit to London on October 11 for a race on the Oxford/Cambridge Boat Race course of the Thames.

Lucy will compete with her doubles partner Rosa Atkinson from Helsby. They are both members of Runcorn Rowing Club.