Inducted in 2024
Dame Katherine Grainger DBE
Rowing
Dame Katherine Grainger DBE is a distinguished former rower and prominent figure in British sports. Renowned for her exceptional achievements, she is the only British female athlete to win medals in five consecutive Olympic Games.
Grainger’s Olympic journey began in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics, where she won a silver medal in the women’s quadruple sculls. She continued to excel, earning silver medals in Athens 2004 (coxless pairs) and Beijing 2008 (quadruple sculls), before finally clinching gold at the London 2012 Olympics in the double sculls alongside teammate Anna Watkins. She capped her Olympic career with another silver in Rio 2016.
In addition to her Olympic success, Grainger is a six-time World Champion, with a total of eight World Championship medals to her name. Her remarkable consistency and dedication to the sport have made her a role model for aspiring athletes. Grainger’s academic achievements are equally impressive. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Edinburgh, an MPhil in Medical Law and Medical Ethics from the University of Glasgow, and a PhD from King’s College London.
Beyond her athletic and academic pursuits, Grainger has made significant contributions to sports governance. She was appointed Chair of UK Sport in 2017, where she advocates for high-performance sports in the UK. Additionally, she served as Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University from 2015 to 2020 and is currently the first female Chancellor of the University of Glasgow.
In recognition of her outstanding contributions to sport and charity, Grainger was awarded an MBE in 2006 and appointed a CBE in 2013, elevated to Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 2017 for services to sport and charity.
Katherine is the Honorary President of Scottish Rowing, and her journey exemplifies the spirit of perseverance and excellence. In 2016, her fellow Olympians voted her Britain’s first Olympians’ Olympian. Upon retiring, she received rowing’s most prestigious prize, the Thomas Keller Medal for her outstanding career in rowing and currently serves as the Honorary President of Scottish Rowing.
Grainger’s legacy is not only defined by her medals but also by her commitment to inspiring future generations and promoting access to sports for all.