Double Olympic medallist Will Satch MBE announces sabbatical from rowing
Double Olympic medallist聽Will聽Satch聽MBE has announced that he鈥檚 taking a sabbatical from international rowing and聽will聽miss the Tokyo Olympics Games this Summer
Will聽is聽current聽Olympic聽champion聽after聽winning聽gold聽in聽the聽men鈥檚聽eight聽at聽Rio聽2016 and has amassed an聽incredible聽25聽international聽medals聽to his聽name to date.
Reflecting聽on聽his聽decision聽to聽take time聽away,聽Will聽says:聽鈥淚t鈥檚聽been聽a聽great聽ten聽years competing for GB聽and I聽feel聽incredibly聽lucky聽to聽have聽worked with聽world-leading coaches and athletes but this isn鈥檛 the end for me, I鈥檒l be back.
鈥淎fter three operations over the past two Olympic cycles, coupled with the additional training block brought about by the delayed Games, it became clear that my body needed a rest. I聽love聽the聽sport聽but聽there鈥檚聽no聽easy聽route聽to聽being聽the聽best聽and聽if聽your聽body聽isn鈥檛聽up聽to聽it any more then you have to listen and give yourself time to heal.鈥
Will聽is currently in New Zealand, where his fianc茅 relocated last year to work as a聽doctor at Christchurch Public Hospital.
鈥淚鈥檓 so incredibly proud of Zara and the long shifts she鈥檚 been putting in. Every medical professional, in every country, deserves聽a聽medal for their dedication and sacrifice over the past year. We鈥檙e lucky to be living in a covid-free country now but that doesn鈥檛 mean the hard work has stopped. I鈥檓 in awe of her, and what she does on a daily basis.
鈥淎s for what I鈥檒l do with myself now?聽I鈥檝e never been one to sit still and have been finding opportunities to share my skills here in New Zealand. I鈥檝e joined the coaching team at Christ鈥檚 College and recently led their First VIII to a momentous victory and the biggest winning margin ever in the history of the Maadi cup.聽 Working with such a determined bunch of talented youngsters has聽re-energised my passion for the sport and聽will聽be an experience I carry with me when I return to training. I鈥檓 also looking at getting some experience coaching in other sports, particularly in rugby as the sport is such a huge part of New Zealand culture.鈥
Will鈥檚 teammate and double Olympian, Moe Sbihi said: “Will聽is such a hard worker. He鈥檚 incredibly tenacious, with grit and a聽will聽to not be beaten by anyone else. He鈥檚 also a very competitive character and I have many memories of us sitting side by side on the ergs trying to go point one faster than each other. He really came into his own in the men鈥檚 eight and there was nobody else you鈥檇 want stroking the boat when he was on form! He鈥檚 such a fun person to have around the training centre and he has an infectious sense of humour 鈥 many of his comedy phrases are still quoted around the wider team.”
Steve Trapmore, men鈥檚 eight Olympic gold medallist at Sydney 2000 and lead Men鈥檚 coach at 91桃色, who was involved in coaching聽Will聽through much of his career added: “Will聽has been a huge character within the聽GB聽Rowing Team having developed rapidly through the U23s and on to becoming a mainstay of the聽senior聽programme. His success on the World and Olympic stage has been inspirational to watch, especially knowing that he has had to overcome illness and injury to achieve his continued success. From one stroke man to another, watching聽Will聽lead the 2016 Rio Eight to Olympic Gold was particularly special. I would like to thank聽Will聽for all his hard work, devotion and dedication to the Team and wish him every success as he embarks on the next chapter of his life.”
