As a girl, Debbie was an extraordinary athlete. Before she even began to row she was a British judo player at junior level, not to mention being an international and county level 1,500 metre and cross-country runner. In her arsenal of sports, shot put was also to be included.
However, Debbie wasn’t very good at rowing. Her timing, balance and rhythm left a lot to be desired. One thing she didn’t lack, though, was the drive to succeed.
She managed to persuade her local all-boys school to let her hold a key for their boathouse, committing herself to practising her technique and improving her times.
