A day of Celebration and Remembrance
On the morning of Saturday 2nd November, our Olympians gathered with their friends and family, the current Brookes senior and novice teams and many who had played vital roles throughout their journeys to Olympic medals.
The morning began with a memorial for our dear friend and Director of Sport, Keith Kelly. Keith had played a pivotal role in the pathway of all the athletes that were celebrated today whether it was ensuring they had the best boats to race in or someone to chat to over a sports bar baguette after training. Keith left a lasting memory on all the athletes who have walked into the Oxford Brookes sports centre during his time with us. Speeches from Alistair Marks, the Vice-Chancellor; Luca, Keith’s Son; Louise Kingsley, Director of Performance at British Rowing among many others including ex-athletes and colleagues left the room in awe of the legacy Keith has left us.
Then came the time for the boat naming ceremony, where we recognised and celebrated the success of our athletes who represented us at the Olympic and Paralympic games in Paris. With an impressive nine athletes returning home from Paris with medals round their neck, the central forum of the university was filled with boats and an audience to congratulate them. Each athletes name will now be read out every week on the decking at Wallingford as the current athletes look to reach the same heights of the champions who stood there before them.
M8+ named after Morgan Bolding and Rory Gibbs, Gold in the GB M8+
M4+ named after Harry Brightmore, Gold in the GB M8+
M4- named after Matthew Aldridge, Bronze in the GB M4-
M4- named after Oli Wilkes, Bronze in the GB M4-
W2- named after Frankie Allen, Gold in the PR3 Mixed 4+
M2- named after Tom Digby, Gold in the GB M8+
M2- named afterDavid Ambler, Bronze in the GB M4-
M2- named after Freddie Davidson, Bronze in the GB M4-
Each athlete had a different experience at Brookes but they all mark it as the place they made the most improvement in the sport, whether they had been a formidable pair or steersman on the Wallingford stretch for 8+ years such as Bolding, Gibbs, Brightmore and Aldridge, had honed in their skills during their undergraduate like Frankie Allen or had joined us for a year to propel themselves into the national team like Wilkes, Digby, Ambler and Davidson.
A M4+ was also named after Jack Carlson, a vital member for Brookes and Britannia Challenge Cup winner in 2013 who very kindly donated to help us purchase this boat which has gone on to win the Prince Albert Challenge Trophy.
We would like to thank these athletes for all the dedication and passion they have put into the club over the years and for inspiring the next generation of athletes who are looking to follow in their footsteps.
The day concluded with the hosting of the Oxford Brookes University BUCS Indoor championships. Where all 200 of our Senior and Novice rowers along with other university teams raced 2k on the rowing machines. It was great preparation as our attention now turns to the GB U23 and Senior trials taking place up in Boston, Lincolnshire next weekend followed by Four’s Head of the River and Wallingford Head.
Photos Courtesy of AllMarkOne