The Chronicle, Summer 2019

28 ST EDWARD’S CHRONICLE

Inspiring People By Shell Patrick Maxwell

rowing at international level, and Kathryn demonstrated these aptitudes brilliantly. She taught me that it was OK to have rowing as your prime ambition. How specifically did she inspire you? Kathryn is very small for an elite rower, much smaller than others, so she had to work really hard to reach the top of her game. When I was at Headington School, the rowing programme was just starting out. Kathryn was one of the first to go to the Junior World Championships and so she made me feel that reaching this level was actually possible. I saw her work really hard to get there, and I saw her succeed as a result of her hard work rather than just natural ability. Her effort and experience really made me feel that I could achieve something similar. I was

In the second of my series based on The North Wall’s Inspiring People talks, I asked English Teacher, Rowing Coach and Olympic Games silver medallist Katie Greves who she would pick as an inspiring person. She chose fellow former Headington pupil and rower Kathryn Stewart.

Why did you pick Kathryn as your ‘inspiring person’? I am deeply inspired by people – like Kathryn – who are exceptionally diligent and hard-working. I find it harder to relate in this way to people I don’t know, and Kathryn’s presence and example at Headington played

a big part in my own personal development as an athlete and as a rower. She was the person who inspired me to start rowing in the first place. The ability to push yourself really hard, physically and mentally, and to grab opportunities with both hands, is key to rowing, as I found at school and when

Katie Greves, fourth from right, winning Olympic silver in the women’s GB eight at Rio 2016 – after achieving fifth place at Beijing 2008 and London 2012