Giorgia LO BUE Interview

Youth in Focus – April 2013 

The future of every country’s rowing lies on the young athletes of today. For Italy, Giorgia Lo Bue is one such potential star for the future. She and her sister Serena stunned the crowds at the 2012 World Rowing Junior Championships when they took gold in the women’s pair and then bronze in the women’s eight – the only duo to medal twice at the regatta. The future is bright with Giorgia Lo Bue training and racing to become faster and faster, and so she is World Rowing’s Youth in Focus this month.

I love rowing because…it allows me to isolate myself from the rest of the world and forget about the ‘problems’ of everyday life during the hours of training, and also because it gives me the opportunity to discredit several false myths related to being an athlete.

My rowing hero is…To be honest my rowing hero is Joseph Sullivan, just because he has debunked the myth of the ‘Senior Giant ‘ (when my mother watched him during the Victory Ceremony at the Olympic Games she told my sister and I that he reminded her of us on the podium!).

 …motivates me the most: The person that motivates me most when I am mentally and physically tired from training is my mum; she is always there, ready to support me and encourage me at the toughest times. She gives me the right advice to go forward and “think positive”!

If I could have a superpower…I would like to be able to fly. Maybe it’s a common and obvious one, but at least I wouldn’t be late to training anymore. I could jump the 30 km distance between my house and the club!

First 20 strokes or final 250? Definitely the last 250 meters! My sister and I have the disadvantage of being “diesel” crew: we don’t start very fast, but in the second part of the race we give it our all!

16km or 10x250m? Definitely 12x250m! … more vibrant, less boring, and it’s over quicker!

Homework or exams? Definitely homework, I can manage it better…