Kenia Lechuga Alanis (MEX)

Rising Star – May 2017 

Mexican lightweight rower Kenia Lechuga Alanis, soon 23 years old, first competed internationally in 2012. Since finishing fifth in the C-final at the World Rowing Junior Championships that year, she has improved by leaps and bounds, winning bronze at the 2016 World Rowing Under 23 Championships in the lightweight single.

Lechuga Alanis also raced at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where she is very proud to have finished 12^th overall in the open weight single sculls World Rowing is looking forward to following the rowing career of this Latin American rower in the coming years.

I started rowing when… I was 12 years old.

I discovered rowing… because the president of my first rowing club came to my school to invite us. I was so scared because I didn’t feel able enough to do it. But it sounded like fun.

I row the single because… it is my favourite boat, you can make your own strategy. Every day is a fight with your mind to make it better. And if something goes wrong it’s only your fault.

When I won bronze in the lightweight single at the World Rowing Under 23 Championships… I couldn’t believe it. I felt ready but the conditions of the final were not very favourable so it was a very tough race for me. But I was able to achieve one of my biggest dreams.

For me, racing at the Olympic Rowing Regatta in Rio was… the best experience of my life. Racing with the best rowers in the world and I was one of them. The first day always leaves me a smile because I could put my experience into practice (In rough water Kenia won her heat against Kim Brennan who went on to win gold). And finishing 12^th overall was so good!

At home, my training location is… in Mexico City on an artificial rowing course built for the 1968 Olympics.

My favourite training session is… intervals on the water and competing against my teammates.

My best erg score so far is… 7:34. The erg and I are not friends.

Before a race, I always… think about my strategy and imagine how the competition will be while I listen to music.

What motivates me the most is… to show myself how high I can get.

This season I would like to… break my personal marks at the 2017 World Rowing Championships.

When I am not rowing, I… am sleeping or eating! Hahaha… I study for my Master in high performance.

I am able to balance university work with training because… I study online and I can organise my free time to do homework, which is perfect.

My non-rowing friends think… I’m crazy, I guess, to leave everything for rowing. But at the same time they are happy for me.

The living person I most admire is… my Mum. She taught me to work hard to get something and always try to be the best.

If I could change one thing about the world it would be… the suffering, life is not always fair to all persons.

In 20 years’ time, I imagine the sport of rowing to be… as popular as soccer.