Caragh McMurtry

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013 – 2016

McMurtry started the Olympiad in a second GB women’s quad scull at the World Cup in Eton Dorney, coming fifth. She was then selected for the eight and finished just outside the medals on her world championships debut in Chungju.

She remained in the eight throughout 2014 and won a silver medal at the European Championships in Belgrade. Bronze medals followed at the World Cups in Aiguebelette and Lucerne before the GB eight, with McMurtry in the stroke seat, finished sixth at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.

London 2012 Olympiad: 2009 – 2012

The 2012 season saw her forge a good partnership with Olivia Carnegie-Brown in the women’s pair, winning silver at both the World Rowing U23 Championships in Trakai and the European Championships in Varese. They also doubled up in the eight at the latter event, winning bronze.

She gained her first GB seat at the Munich International Regatta in 2009, winning silver in the women’s pair and gold in the four. She also raced in the latter boat at that year’s World Junior Championships in Brive, claiming a fine silver.

McMurtry began rowing at Coalporters ARC through British Rowing’s “Project Oarsome” scheme and competed on the coastal rowing circuit for five years before moving to river rowing.

A keen artist, she has sold work on commission and loves to draw or paint on paper, canvas and furniture. She said: “I constantly have new ideas and hoard art supplies for future undertakings.” She does not want to rely on her hobby as her sole source of income, though, and would like to work in the mental health profession when her rowing career finishes.

Her family now live in Cork, where she spent her family holidays growing up. Her dad would be among her dream dinner guest companions, along with Morrissey and Ben Stiller – star of her favourite film, Zoolander.

If stranded on a desert island, she would take the following three things with her: boyfriend Mikey, her family and her cats – she chills out with on the sofa after training. M83, Chvrches, Nero, The Prodigy and System of a Down provide the soundtrack to her ergo training but she likes to wind down by listening to Morrissey, The Smiths, Crowded House and Fleetwood Mac.

McMurtry is Lottery funded through UK Sport.