St Mary's Alumna Wins Record Breaking Silver Medal at Rio 2016

Alumna of St Mary’s University, Twickenham Karen Bennett has won a Silver Medal as part of the Women’s Eight crew in the rowing at Rio 2016. The crew are the first to win a medal in the Women’s Eight competition for Team GB. They secured their medal in a photo finish, 0.12 second ahead of third placed Romania in a time of 6:03.98. Director of Sport Andrew Reid-Smith said, “It's an incredible achievement to have won a silver medal at your first Games and everyone at St Mary's is so pleased for Karen. This was another GB rowing performance that was full of conviction and is the first time a GB Women's Eight have won an Olympic medal.” St Mary’s has a proud history of Olympic and Paralympic success. The University’s sporting alumni include Mo Farah, the Rio 2016 Gold Medallist and London 2012 double gold medallist and GB’s best ever distance runner, Rebecca Romero, an Olympic medallist in two different sports rowing and cycling making her one of GB’s greatest ever Olympians. Moe Sbihi, Rio 2016 Gold Medallist and London 2012 Bronze Medallist and World Champion Rower is almost amongst our alumni while Dave Weir, winner of four gold medals at the London Paralympics, trains at St Mary’s using the world-class facilities and support services. As part of St Mary’s contribution to the London Games the University supported athletes from ten different nations and provided Pre Games Training Camps for China, South Africa, Japan and Ireland.  Based on London 2012 medals won St Mary’s finished sixth, the highest placed London institution, in Podium’s league table for universities. Lord Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and President of the IAAF, opened St Mary’s latest sports facilities.  International athletes competing at the Games used these facilities, which continue to provide a sporting legacy for students, staff and local community alike.