Imogen Grant named OH! Films star of the year at the Cambridge United Community Trust Sport in the Community Awards

Imogen Grant’s star is rising on both the national and international rowing scene, so perhaps earning the Star of the Year award is no surprise.

Having only first picked up an oar in 2014, the Bar Hill-based oarswoman was fourth on her senior international debut at the Rowing World Cup regatta in Belgrade last summer.

Imogen went on to win gold in the lightweight single sculls at the World Rowing Under-23 Championships in Poznan, and then earned bronze at the senior 2018 World Rowing Championships in Plovdiv. And two weeks ago, she won the GB trials in the lightweight single sculls. “It’s really exciting,” said Imogen on winning the award. “I first heard about it through the Cambridge Independent and I’d seen it being awarded for the last couple of years.

“It’s such a great initiative. This year when I found out I was nominated, I was really surprised and really flattered. To be able to be here and collect the award is really exciting. It feels like my performances have been building over the last few years and I just hope that will continue.”

Imogen is taking a sabbatical from her medicine studies at Cambridge University to train with the GB team full-time, while doing a part-time Masters.

The first target of the season is the European Championships in the lightweight double scull, with the ultimate aim of the year to qualify the boat for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

She added: “I love the team aspect and the initiatives that the Community Trust are putting into place here with the disabled football, and outreach into schools very much mirrors what I hope to see a lot more of in rowing as well.”