Imogen Grant Sets Sights on 2028 LA Games with New Rowing Challenge

Olympic gold medallist Imogen Grant has committed to seeking a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, aiming to determine her new role within the sport of rowing. Her recent gold medal in Paris served as a redemption for the Tokyo Olympics, where she and Emily Craig narrowly missed a medal by 0.01 seconds. This summer in Paris, Grant and her partner Emily Craig secured victory in the lightweight double sculls. Grant, a 28-year-old from Cambridge, also holds titles as a double world and European champion. However, she must now identify a different position within the GB team, as the lightweight double sculls event will not be featured in the regatta four years from now. Grant conveyed to BBC Look East that the prospect is “definitely quite daunting.” She stated, “I’ve got some things I need to prove, I think, to the selectors but there’s also a much wider range of opportunities.” She further elaborated on the change, saying, “It’s been very focused for the last three years, I knew what boat I was going to be racing in, I knew who I was going to be racing with, and I knew what we wanted to do whereas this time is much more open, more possibilities.” Following her success in Paris, Grant has commenced working as a doctor in Oxford, having previously earned a medical degree from Cambridge University. She remarked, “I feel like a real doctor. I’ve been working in hospitals, I’ve really seen the whole spectrum from that side of things and I’m still managing to do some rowing on the side.” Despite her medical career, the appeal of competing in another Olympic Games has proven irresistible, preventing her from stepping away from elite-level sport. Grant stated, “I didn’t know how I was going to feel after the racing in Paris. I didn’t know if we were going to win, I knew we were favourites, I knew we had a good chance, but I didn’t know if I’d feel happy and satisfied to end my career after Paris.” She continued, “But pretty much immediately, I knew there was more enjoyment that I could find by doing rowing at a high level. It’s the most incredible experience being an athlete at an Olympic Games. Whether or not I’m in the running for a medal in LA, just getting there and being able to be part of that experience and being part of that Olympics movement, I know it would mean that the journey was worth it.” She reiterated the challenge, adding, “The lightweight double is not going to be run as an event so I’m going to have to find where I might fit in the sport of rowing at an Olympics Games.” Last week, Imogen Grant visited Cambridge, where she spoke to students at her former school, Stephen Perse. During her visit, she also assisted in recovering a replica medal that had been placed on a statue of King Henry VIII at Trinity College as a tribute to her. Toby, a Year 8 pupil, commented, “She had a lot of good life lessons. I enjoy sport a lot and I’ll try and take some of those lessons on board and try and put them to good use. I think when I go to college, I might start rowing.” Sophie, a Year 13 student who participates in archery, added, “I was really inspired by what she said. Seeing someone who made it so far, not even starting rowing until she was at uni, she blossomed into a really professional athlete and that’s exactly what I want to do.” Grant indicated that she is not rushing to have her next steps in rowing “lined up and sorted out,” given the considerable time remaining before the LA Games. She further stated, “I’m trying hard not to think too far into the future and get my hopes up, and just deal with enjoying the now, doing what I’m enjoying at the moment and seeing where that takes me in the next four years.”