April 2023: Katie O'Brien

Katie O’Brien has her sights set on Paralympic Qualification in the PR2 Mixed Double Sculls later this year. Her season is already off to a pretty great start – a indoor World Record. Not to mention she also set a new World Best Time last year in the PR2 Women’s Single, and became World Champion in that same boat class. She is our April 2023 Rower of the Month.

How has been the start to your 2023 season?

Great! It’s been a good start. We have been doing a lot of work in the double, that’s my focus for this season.  It’s going to be nice for us and it’s nice to kind of be out of the single for a while and kind of just focus on one goal, because sometimes going between the two can be a little bit stressful. Then I also did the indoor rowing championships in Ireland and I set a world record at that. So that also sent me off to a nice start for 2023.

Last year, you had an incredible year not only in the double, but the single. You set a new World Best Time and then became World Champion in the PR2 women’s single. Were those goals that you had set out at the beginning of the year?

I wouldn’t say they were goals, but well, they were definitely in my mind when I started off the 2022 season. But I think they will be I think those are goals that you set yourself. Yes, I think 2022 was definitely a season of dreams for me and a lot of them came true.

How did you first get into rowing?

I watched the Paralympics in 2012 and I just decided that it was just something I had to do. And at the time I was actually into horse riding. But then I emailed the Irish Paralympic Committee, and they invited me up to a sports day where you could try out all the different sports. And one of them happened to be rowing. I pulled a few strokes on the rowing machine and they were like, ‘Do that again’. I was basically at a training camp about a month later after that. I took a break away from the sport then for three years, but I came back in 2019.

And when you aren’t rowing, what does your life look like?

I’m a veterinarian. I’m not currently practicing as a vet, but I am working as a veterinary advisor for a company that sells supplements for dogs. So that keeps me busy during sessions. And then obviously hanging out with friends, going for food is a big one for me. I really enjoy that. And then like everyone a little bit of Netflix here and there.

What are your upcoming goals for this season? 

My (doubles) partner is going into his third year of rowing now. Our goal for this season is the Paralympic qualification. It’s been a journey, and we’re obviously building off from last season. Now we’re hoping to go ahead and book the seat on the plane to the Paralympics. So hopefully all is well.

And are are there other regattas that you’re hoping to participate in this year?

Definitely. We hope to definitely race the para rowing regatta in Gavirate in June, and then hopefully World Cup II as well.

Do you have a favourite place to row?

My favorite place to row is actually home, which is Galway, Ireland, and I think that might be because of what comes with it and the club and the environment there. But I think if I was to pick somewhere abroad, I actually would probably pick Varese, which is where we train. I have such great memories there. I think oftentimes your favourite location comes by actually what’s off the water as well.

If you could give one piece of advice to a rower starting out, what would it be?

A bit of advice I got at the start of rowing – and I definitely think is true is what you put into rowing, you will get back and it’s just one of those sports that the harder you work, the faster you go. And you know, it definitely stands true.

Do you have an athlete or a mentor that you admire in the sport or outside of the sport?

I think I’m quite lucky in that I am part of the Irish rowing team at the moment.  I’m training every day, twice a day alongside Olympians and medallists. I have mentors left, right, up and down everywhere in the Rowing Center. So luckily, I have lots of them and surrounded by them every day.

And totally spearheaded by one of my big idols Sanita Puspure. I think she set the tone. So it’s obviously pretty cool to get to be training alongside my heroes.

If you could row with any rower past or present, who would you row with?

I would love to row with all of the current medallists of the PR2 category in a large boat. So if we got us all together in a quad or an eight. But I would love to row a crew boat with all of them.