Donna Etiebet

Rower // Women's Squad
Date of Birth: 29th Apr 1986 (37 years old)
Club: Sport Imperial BC
Height: 182.00
Hometown: London

Donna Etiebet profile image

Donna Etiebet added to her medals from the European Championships and multiple World Cups when she won gold with the women's four at the World Rowing Championships in 2016.

Donna Etiebet is a former snowboard instructor and triathlete who worked in the City of London for five years before deciding to focus on her rowing after enjoying success on the domestic stage.

Etiebet raced in the women’s eight during 2014 and 2015, helping to qualify the boat for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Reigning World Champion Donna worked in the City of London for five years before deciding to focus on her rowing career

On The Water

2016

World Champion Women's Four

2014

European Silver Medallist Women's Eight

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013 – 2016

Etiebet won the first gold medal of her international career when she teamed up with Fiona Gammond, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton to claim the women’s fours title at the 2016 World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam. After winning their heat in tricky conditions, the four surged clear in the final to record an emphatic victory.

Racing in the women’s eight throughout 2015, Etiebet helped qualify the boat for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a fourth-placed finish at the World Rowing Championships in Aigubelette.

The season started with fifth place at the European Championships in Poznan, with the GB crew looking well on course for a medal until a boat-stopping crab in the closing stages.

They hit back with impressive bronze medals at the Varese and Lucerne World Cups, twice going under six minutes at the first of those, before finishing less than a second shy of the podium in Aiguebelette.

Etiebet also raced in the eight throughout 2014 and won a silver medal on her GB Rowing Team debut at the European Championships in Belgrade. She added bronze medals at the World Cups in Aiguebelette and Lucerne before finishing sixth at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.

Her step up to international level followed an impressive domestic campaign in 2013 when she won pennants at the Pairs, Fours and Eights Head races as well as the intermediate coxed fours at Henley Women’s Regatta. She also made the semi-final of the Remenham Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta.

(Clockwise from back left) Katie Greves, Louisa Reeve, cox Zoe de Toledo, Jess Eddie, Zoe Lee, Donna Etiebet, Vicki Meyer-Laker, Olivia Carnegie-Brown and Rosamund Bradbury after winning bronze at the Lucerne World Cup in 2015
The women's eight at the 2015 European Championships in Poznan, with Morgan Baynham-Williams in the cox seat

GB Competitive Record

World Rowing Championships
2016 W4-
2015 4th W8+
2014 6th W8+
World Rowing Championships:
2016
W4-
World Rowing Championships:
2015
4th
W8+
World Rowing Championships:
2014
6th
W8+
European Rowing Championships
2015 5th W8+
2014 W8+
European Rowing Championships:
2015
5th
W8+
European Rowing Championships:
2014
W8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas
2015 Lucerne W8+
2015 Varese W8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas:
2015 Lucerne
W8+
World Rowing Cup Regattas:
2015 Varese
W8+
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials
2016 6th W2-
2015 11th W1x
2014 5th W2-
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2016
6th
W2-
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2015
11th
W1x
GB Rowing Team Senior Trials:
2014
5th
W2-

More info...

Club: Sport Imperial BC
Boat: Women’s Eight
Role: Rower
Coaches: James Harris
Learnt to Row: St Paul’s Girls School
Original Club(s): St Paul’s Girls School, New Hall College Boat Club, Thames Rowing Club
Original Coach(es): David Porteus, Rachel Knight, Tony Larkman, Clive Whitford, Tessa Miller, Stuart Whitelaw

Beyond the Boat

Born in Canada, Etiebet spent her early childhood in Nigeria and loved the warmth and sunshine – anywhere with a beach remains her ideal travel destination.

She returned to Canada and was a snowboard instructor before moving to the UK in 2002, where she learned to row at St Paul’s Girls’ School.  She studied biological anthropology at Cambridge University and was awarded a full Blue after winning the water polo varsity match in 2007.

After graduating, she worked in the City for five years and took up triathlons, with her best finish being fourth in a middle-distance race. She then took up rowing again with Thames Rowing Club.

Etiebet plans to return to her finance career when she finishes rowing but also enjoys DIY and browsing home renovation and decoration projects, so is hoping to launch her own business or e-site with that focus on the side.

A keen Spotify subscriber, her wide range of musical tastes include Hurts, Our Lady Peace, Haim, Macklemore, Lauryn Hill and Lianne La Havas, while Vikings, Happy Valley, Game of Thrones and Sherlock are among her favourite TV shows.

She also admires athlete Jo Pavey, saying: “She is such a strong role model showing it is possible to balance a successful sporting career alongside starting and growing a family.”

Etiebet is Lottery funded through UK Sport.

Personal information

Place of Birth Current Address Home Town Region
Ottawa, Canada London London London
Place of Birth:
Ottawa, Canada
Current Address:
London
Home Town:
London
Region:
London
Date of Birth Height
29th April 1986 182cm
Date of Birth:
29th April 1986
Height:
182cm
Education
Immaculata High School, St Paul’s Girls School, University of Cambridge
Education:
Immaculata High School, St Paul’s Girls School, University of Cambridge