‘HONOURED’ – Rugby and Lutterworth’s golden girl Lauren Henry has been named Athletes’ Athlete of the Month by Britain’s elite sportspeople.
Rower Lauren, the reigning Olympic champion in the women’s quadruple sculls, was awarded the prize after winning a trio of gold medals in the single sculls in June, which included victory at the European Rowing Championships.
The award is presented by the British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA) on behalf of its members – current and former sportspeople who receive funding from UK Sport’s World Class Programme.
Lauren, who was born and raised in Rugby before moving to Lutterworth, was up against para-canoeing’s Laura Sugar and para-triathlon’s Henry Urand, both of whom won European titles in June, as well as teenage taekwondo star Lily Kingsley.
The 23-year-old topped the vote amongst BEAA members thanks to her continental crown and two dominant victories in the World Rowing Cup events in Varese and Lucerne.
She said: “I was very honoured to be nominated for the award.
“I didn’t think I was going to win, so it’s a really nice surprise to win after being up against such a strong field of athletes who’ve had fantastic achievements as well.
“I think it’s all the more special that it’s voted for by your peers because the people that are voting, they’re all on World Class Programme, so they know what elite sport is like and they know what it’s like to be competing at the highest level.”
Lauren switched from the quadruple to the single sculls following her success in Paris last summer.
Her European Championship victory marked her first senior medal in the individual event, and it was secured in fine fashion as she set a British record and a European Best Time in the heats.
Her dominance continued in Varese, where she won by more than eight seconds before victory in Lucerne completed a remarkable month.
“June was pretty amazing,” she added. “We had three international regattas and it’s the first time I’ve raced in the single sculls at senior international level.
“I knew I was going to be fast. I have been very fast in training, but to go out there and dominate all three races was quite special for me.
“I’ve done the single sculls at age group level, and I always felt that I never could quite get the best out of myself.
“I always felt that I got a bit nervous, asked myself to do too much and then didn’t produce my best, so it was a big step to be able to go out there and produce what I knew I was capable of when the pressure was on.”
