Vwairé Obukohwo

Vwairé started indoor rowing as an after school activity and quickly fell in love with the sport.

Attaining early successes on the indoor rowing machine led to an invite onto the Performance Development Academy (formerly known as World Class Start). Being coached by Helen Brown and a part of a very successful ‘Islanders’ squad pushed Vwairé to continue pursuing rowing beyond the erg. This took her to represent GB for the first time in 2021 at the U23 World Championships. Since then, she’s enjoyed the thrill of racing and rigorous training that the rowing lifestyle provides. Aspiring to compete at the LA 2028 Olympic Games keeps her dedicated and driven to continue excelling.

Both of Vwairé’s parents were raised in Nigeria. She takes huge pride in her Nigerian roots, and the culture is heavily instilled in her lifestyle.

Outside of rowing, Vwairé is a mentor to young people in vulnerable situations. Through her work as an Athlete Mentor for the Dame Kelly Holmes Trust, she’s seen the impact of being present for young people who need a little extra push. Growing up, Vwairé always felt a little bit lost and struggled to find her purpose, finding it scary and like she was the only one experiencing those feelings. She now uses that experience to empathise with the young people she works with and uses her knowledge as an athlete to help them learn new life skills too.