Erin Kennedy returning to international competition after Breast Cancer

Erin Kennedy
MBE
Personal information
Birth nameErin Wysocki-Jones
NationalityBritish
Born (1992-08-05) 5 August 1992
Plymouth
Height160 cm (5 ft 3 in)
Weight53 kg (117 lb)
Sport
Country United Kingdom
SportPararowing
University teamOxford University Boat Club
ClubLeander Club
Medal record
Pararowing
Representing  Great Britain
Paralympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2020 TokyoPR3 Mix4+
World Championships
Gold medal – first place2018 PlovdivPR3 Mix4+
Gold medal – first place2019 OttensheimPR3 Mix4+
Gold medal – first place2022 RačicePR3 Mix4+
Gold medal – first place2023 BelgradePR3 Mix4+
European Championships
Gold medal – first place2021 VaresePR3 Mix4+
Gold medal – first place2022 BelgradePR3 Mix4+
Gold medal – first place2023 BledPR3 Mix4+
World Cup Series
Gold medal – first place2022 BelgradePR3 Mix4+
Gold medal – first place2023 VaresePR3 Mix4+

Erin Kennedy MBE (née Wysocki-Jones; born 5 August 1992) is a British Paralympic coxswain with the GB Rowing Team.[1] Erin is a three time World Champion, three time European Champion and World Best Time holder in the PR3 Mixed coxed four.[2][3] She has won every international competition and is the first and only coxswain to ever hold the Paralympic, World and European titles at the same time.

In 2022, Erin Kennedy was diagnosed with Triple Negative Breast Cancer aged 29 and used her platform to raise awareness of early detection whilst continuing to compete for Great Britain.[4] She competed at the 2022 Rowing World Cup in Belgrade, Serbia, winning Gold just four days after her diagnosis and won the 2022 European Championships in Munich, Germany whilst on chemotherapy.[5]

Personal Life

Erin was born in Plymouth and grew up in Wantage, Oxfordshire. She attended King Alfred's Academy and studied History and English at Pembroke College, Oxford University.[6]

Kennedy was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2022 New Year Honours for services to rowing.[7][8]

Career

Early Career (2011-2016)

Erin began rowing at Pembroke College, Oxford, and in her third year in the sport, coxed the Blue Boat in the 2014 Women's Boat Race, winning in record time and earning a Blue in the process.[9] Kennedy moved to cox for Leander Club, in Henley-on-Thames where she is still a member now.[10]

Tokyo Games Cycle (2017-2021)

Erin first represented Great Britain in the Women's 8+ at the 2017 European Championships in Račice, Czech Republic finishing fourth.[11] Kennedy then returned to the international stage at the 2018 World Championships in the PR3 Mix 4+, winning her first Gold with a crew of Oliver Stanhope, Daniel Brown, Grace Clough and Ellen Buttrick.[12]

In 2019, Kennedy and her crew, consisting of Oliver Stanhope, Ellen Buttrick, Giedrė Rakauskaitė and James Fox set a new World Best Time at the 2019 World Rowing Championships in Ottensheim, Bulgaria in the PR3 Mix 4+ of 6:49.24 while also claiming a qualification place for Tokyo 2020.[13] The crew held the Guinness World Record for the fastest row in the PR3 Mix 4+ and were featured in the 2021 Book of Guinness World Records.[14] Kennedy was later part of the crew that broke her own world best time with a new standing time of 6:47.29 in the A Final of the 2023 World Rowing Cup II in Varese, Italy.[15]

Following a postponement of the Tokyo Games and all international racing in 2020, Kennedy and the same crew of 2019 won the 2021 European Championships in Varese, Italy.[16]

In 2021, Kennedy along with Oliver Stanhope, Ellen Buttrick, Giedrė Rakauskaitė and James Fox won the Paralympic Games, making it 11 years unbeaten for the GB Crew.[17]

Paris Games Cycle (2022-2024)

Erin returned to international competition in May 2022, winning the Rowing World Cup I in Belgrade, Serbia with a new crew of Oliver Stanhope, Edward Fuller, Giedrė Rakauskaitė and Francesca Allen.[18] This gold medal was the final FISA medal which Kennedy not previously won. Later, she revealed she had flown to compete the day after being diagnosed with Breast Cancer, winning a gold just four days later.[19]

Erin continued with the same crew to compete at the 2022 European Championships in Munich, Germany and won her second European title whilst on chemotherapy.[20] She revealed to the BBC that she would be taking a break from the sport to focus on her health.[21][22]

In 2023, Erin returned to international competition exactly a year to the day after she was diagnosed with breast cancer.[23] With a new crew of Edward Fuller, Morgan Fice-Noyes, Giedrė Rakauskaitė and Francesca Allen she won the 2023 European Championships in Bled, Slovenia.[24][25] With the same crew, a new World Best Time was set of 6:47.29 in the A Final of the 2023 World Rowing Cup II in Varese, Italy.[26]

The crew went on to win the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia and qualify the boat for the 2024 Paris Games.[27] The crew helped Great Britain top the Medal Table and make it 13 years unbeaten.

References

  1. ↑ "Erin Kennedy MBE". British Rowing. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  2. ↑ "Erin Wysocki-Jones - Profile". British Rowing. 24 December 2019.
  3. ↑ "Pembroke alumna, Erin Wysocki-Jones selected for GB Rowing in the 2019 World Championships". Pembroke College Oxford. 22 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Esme (3 March 2023). "Erin Kennedy: Fighting Back". Glorious Sport. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  5. ↑ "Kennedy wins European gold after cancer diagnosis". BBC Sport. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  6. ↑ "European Rowing Championships Gold for Alumna Erin Kennedy | pembroke college". www.pmb.ox.ac.uk. 20 October 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  7. ↑ "No. 63571". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 2022. p. N21.
  8. ↑ "New Year Honours 2022: Jason Kenny receives a knighthood and Laura Kenny made a dame". BBC Sport. 31 December 2021.
  9. ↑ "Dark Blues: Alumni Spotlight with Erin Kennedy – OUWBC". Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  10. ↑ Robertson, Shelley (31 August 2021). "LEANDER GOLD AT THE TOKYO PARALYMPICS & join the heroes' return party". Leander Club. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "World Rowing - 2017 European Rowing Championships". World Rowing. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  12. ↑ "World Rowing - 2018 World Rowing Championships". World Rowing. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  13. ↑ "World Rowing - Para PR3 Mixed Coxed Four (PR3 Mix4+) – Final". World Rowing. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  14. ↑ "Fastest para-row mixed coxed four (PR3)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  15. ↑ "Best Times". World Rowing. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  16. ↑ "World Rowing - 2021 European Rowing Championships". World Rowing. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  17. ↑ "Paralympic Games". British Rowing. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  18. ↑ "World Rowing - 2022 World Rowing Cup I - Belgrade, Serbia". World Rowing. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  19. ↑ Esme (3 March 2023). "Erin Kennedy: Fighting Back". Glorious Sport. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
  20. ↑ "World Rowing - 2022 European Rowing Championships". World Rowing. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  21. ↑ "Emotional Kennedy 'proud' after Para-rowing gold". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  22. ↑ "European Championships: Emotional Erin Kennedy 'proud' after Para-rowing gold". shoutradio.org.uk. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  23. ↑ "Kennedy set for Europeans a year after cancer diagnosis". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  24. ↑ "World Rowing - 2023 European Rowing Championships". World Rowing. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  25. ↑ "Kennedy wins Euro gold year after cancer diagnosis". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  26. ↑ "World Rowing - 2023 World Rowing Cup II". World Rowing. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  27. ↑ "World Rowing - 2023 World Rowing Championships". World Rowing. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
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