Anna Bebington
Encyclopedia
Anna Rose Watkins (née Bebington) (born 13 February 1983) is a British
rower. She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
, where she won a bronze medal in Double Sculls and has won 4 medals in the World Championships, most recently a successful defense of her world title with Katherine Grainger
, in Bled, Slovenia in 2011.
, where she attended Westwood College
. She studied Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge
where she started rowing in 2001. She took her first strokes with Newnham College Boat Club
and was captain of lower boats and then secretary for the club. She is currently attending the University of Reading
as a PhD student in mathematics. Anna represents Leander Club
in rowing events.
in 2003 before she moved onto the World Class Start talent identification programme run by UK sport and based at Rob Roy Boat Club
. In 2004 she made her international debut, winning a gold medal in the Coxless IVs at the World Under 23 Regatta
in Poznan
, Poland
with crewmates Natasha Page, Beth Rodford and Alison Knowles.
In 2005, Bebington made her senior international debut with the Women's Eight, achieving a 5th place at the World Championships in Gifu
, Japan
. She also won an Under 23 bronze medal at the World U23 Rowing Championships in Amsterdam
.
In 2006 Anna switched to sculling and began competing in the double scull
, a boat class she has remained with since then. The World Championships in 2006 were on home water at Eton Dorney, the venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics
. Anna partnered Annabel Vernon and they came in fourth place having won the World Cup series earlier that season.
For the next two years Anna's partner was Elise Laverick. In this combination they won bronze medals at both the World Championships and at the Olympic Games
in Beijing in 2008. The Olympic medal came after a difficult season battling with glandular fever, and the race remains the closest any British oarswomen have come to an Olympic gold with the three medal winning crews separated by 0.23 seconds.
In 2009 Anna once more partnered Annabel Vernon and won a silver medal at the World Championships in Poznan, Poland.
In 2010 Anna joined forces with Katherine Grainger
for the first time. In their double scull they had an unbeaten season culminating in their victory at the World Championships in New Zealand. They were named World Rowing
Female Crew of the year and also the Sunday Times Women's Sports Team of the year for 2010. Individually, Anna became Champion of the Thames in the annual championships, the Wingfield Sculls.
In 2011 Anna beat her partner Katherine in the British Rowing Team trials. They joined forces again in the double scull and continued their unbeaten run, finishing the season with another World Championships gold. Anna retained her tile in the Wingfield Sculls, setting a new record time.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
rower. She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
, where she won a bronze medal in Double Sculls and has won 4 medals in the World Championships, most recently a successful defense of her world title with Katherine Grainger
Katherine Grainger
Katherine Grainger MBE is a Scottish rower.Her family moved to Netherley, Aberdeenshire and Katherine represents Edinburgh's St Andrew Boat Club in rowing events. She trained on the River Dee, which has the distinction of being the only river she has fallen into whilst rowing.She is a three time...
, in Bled, Slovenia in 2011.
Background
Bebington was born and raised in LeekLeek, Staffordshire
Leek is a market town in the county of Staffordshire, England, on the River Churnet. It is an ancient borough and was granted its royal charter in 1214.It is the administrative centre for the Staffordshire Moorlands District Council...
, where she attended Westwood College
Westwood College (Leek)
Westwood College, formerly known as Westwood High School is a state school for 13–19 year-olds in Leek, Staffordshire. Westwood is a Specialist School run by Staffordshire County Council, specialising in both Modern Languages and Visual Arts. It is set in the grounds of an old manor house built in...
. She studied Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College, Cambridge
Newnham College is a women-only constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college was founded in 1871 by Henry Sidgwick, and was the second Cambridge college to admit women after Girton College...
where she started rowing in 2001. She took her first strokes with Newnham College Boat Club
Newnham College Boat Club
Newnham College Boat Club is the rowing club for members of Newnham College, Cambridge. Newnham is a college for women only. Members of Newnham have been rowing for a considerable time before the first women's bumps races. The first bumps for women started in 1974...
and was captain of lower boats and then secretary for the club. She is currently attending the University of Reading
University of Reading
The University of Reading is a university in the English town of Reading, Berkshire. The University was established in 1892 as University College, Reading and received its Royal Charter in 1926. It is based on several campuses in, and around, the town of Reading.The University has a long tradition...
as a PhD student in mathematics. Anna represents Leander Club
Leander Club
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world. It is based in Remenham in the English county of Berkshire, adjoining Henley-on-Thames...
in rowing events.
Sporting career
At Cambridge, her college crew were Head of the CamMay Bumps
The May Bumps are a set of rowing races, held annually on the River Cam in Cambridge. They began in 1887 after separating from the Lent Bumps, the equivalent bumping races held at the end of February or start of March. Prior to the separation there had been a single set of annual bumps dating from...
in 2003 before she moved onto the World Class Start talent identification programme run by UK sport and based at Rob Roy Boat Club
Rob Roy Boat Club
Rob Roy Boat Club, or Robs, is a boat club based on the River Cam in Cambridge, UK, which has traditionally focused on training and racing in small boats...
. In 2004 she made her international debut, winning a gold medal in the Coxless IVs at the World Under 23 Regatta
Regatta
A regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
in Poznan
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
with crewmates Natasha Page, Beth Rodford and Alison Knowles.
In 2005, Bebington made her senior international debut with the Women's Eight, achieving a 5th place at the World Championships in Gifu
Gifu, Gifu
is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. She also won an Under 23 bronze medal at the World U23 Rowing Championships in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
.
In 2006 Anna switched to sculling and began competing in the double scull
Double scull
A double scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two persons who propel the boat by sculling with two oars, one in each hand....
, a boat class she has remained with since then. The World Championships in 2006 were on home water at Eton Dorney, the venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics
2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the "London 2012 Olympic Games", are scheduled to take place in London, England, United Kingdom from 27 July to 12 August 2012...
. Anna partnered Annabel Vernon and they came in fourth place having won the World Cup series earlier that season.
For the next two years Anna's partner was Elise Laverick. In this combination they won bronze medals at both the World Championships and at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Beijing in 2008. The Olympic medal came after a difficult season battling with glandular fever, and the race remains the closest any British oarswomen have come to an Olympic gold with the three medal winning crews separated by 0.23 seconds.
In 2009 Anna once more partnered Annabel Vernon and won a silver medal at the World Championships in Poznan, Poland.
In 2010 Anna joined forces with Katherine Grainger
Katherine Grainger
Katherine Grainger MBE is a Scottish rower.Her family moved to Netherley, Aberdeenshire and Katherine represents Edinburgh's St Andrew Boat Club in rowing events. She trained on the River Dee, which has the distinction of being the only river she has fallen into whilst rowing.She is a three time...
for the first time. In their double scull they had an unbeaten season culminating in their victory at the World Championships in New Zealand. They were named World Rowing
International Rowing Federation
The Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d'Aviron, or FISA for short, is the International Rowing Federation which is the governing body for international Rowing. Its current president is Denis Oswald...
Female Crew of the year and also the Sunday Times Women's Sports Team of the year for 2010. Individually, Anna became Champion of the Thames in the annual championships, the Wingfield Sculls.
In 2011 Anna beat her partner Katherine in the British Rowing Team trials. They joined forces again in the double scull and continued their unbeaten run, finishing the season with another World Championships gold. Anna retained her tile in the Wingfield Sculls, setting a new record time.
External links
- http://www.annawatkins.co.uk
- http://www.olympics.org.uk/beijing2008/AthleteProfile.aspx?id=6764/
- http://www.britishrowing.org/gb/biographies/anna-watkins
- http://www.leander.co.uk/athletes/Anna_Watkins.asp