Karen Bennett

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013 – 2016

After impressing in training and trials throughout the winter, Bennett was selected for the women’s eight at the start of the 2016 season and helped to secure an eye-catching gold at the European Championships in Brandenburg, with GB surging through to take the victory in a perfectly judged race.

Another thrilling late push at the Lucerne World Cup saw the GB eight go mighty close to overhauling the Olympic and world champions from the United States. They won silver again at the World Cup in Poznan, this time behind New Zealand.

No British women’s eight had ever won an Olympic medal but Bennett and her crew-mates ended that wait at Rio 2016 as they took silver in a photo finish after an epic race, featuring another trademark surge through the field in the second half.

Bennett was selected for the senior GB Rowing Team for the first time in 2014 as part of the women’s eight that competed at the Windermere Cup in Seattle.

She also represented Britain at the 2014 World University Rowing Championships in Gravelines, France, teaming up with Becca Chin, Pippa Whittaker and Michelle Vezie to win women’s four gold with a dominant performance.

In 2015, Bennett finished sixth with Katherine Douglas in the women’s pair at the GB Rowing Team Senior and U23 Truials. She was given another chance to impress at the Essen Regatta in Germany, and she took it with both hands, winning dougle gold with Chin in the women’s pair. The same partnership competed as a second GB pair at the World Cups in Varese and Lucerne, finishing tenth in both.

Bennett and Chin were then selected alongside Lucinda Gooderham and Holly Norton for a women’s four at the 2015 World Rowing Championships in Aiguebelette, where they won an impressive silver medal.

London 2012 Olympiad: 2009 – 2012

Bennett was a member of the women’s eight that finished fifth at the 2011 World Rowing U23 Championships in Amsterdam.

A part-time rowing coach, Bennett studied Sports Rehabilitation at St Mary’s University in London and developed her talent with the GB Rowing Team Start programme in Glasgow.

She is Lottery funded through UK Sport.