Hi! I'm Esther Lofgren, and I won gold at the 2012 London Olympics in the USA Women's Eight. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life!
I started this blog early in college, and after creating two blogs for USRowing (the national governing body of rowing in the United States) for races in 2010, I decided to revive this blog and tie them all together.
My aim with this blog, which shares my life as a rower through written musings, photos, video, and music, is to give people who are interested in the sport and the life of a full-time elite rower a window into my journey.
I started rowing in 1998 at the Newport Aquatic Center in Newport Beach, CA. During my first season, as a gangly 13-year-old with the nickname "Chicken Legs," I caught the rowing bug and have been at it ever since. I continued my rowing career with Radcliffe Crew at Harvard University, graduating with a degree in Economics in 2009. While in college, I tried out for and made the Under-23 and Senior national teams, winning two World Championships and medaling at the World Championships and Rowing World Cups.
After graduation, I decided to pursue rowing full-time and made the move to Princeton, N.J., to train with the team year-round. Over my elite career, I won Olympic Gold, four World Championships, and seven World Championship and Rowing World Cup medals, and set three world records. It was an amazing ride!
As an elite rower, I understood what a privilege it was to have something I love so much as my job. Today, I try to carry over the winning approaches and commitment to effective teamwork that helped me in my athletic career, and always try to get a little bit better every day. Being surrounded by some of the most competitive and inspiring individuals I've ever met helped push me to become the best rower, athlete, and person I could be, and I continue to seek that out today. I hope that by sharing some of these moments on this blog, you will find similar inspiration and joy in this sport.
