Sisters awestruck to meet Olympic rowing champion Katherine Grainger
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IT'S not every day that you’re invited round for coffee by an Olympic champion.
But for Thurso sisters Katie and Joanna Reiss, it was truly a golden start to the new year when they met champion rower Katherine Grainger during their visit to Edinburgh.
As well as having the chance to meet one of their heroines, the sporting icon gave the girls a chance to hold her medal that made her one of the major success stories at last summer’s games in London.
It was also a thrill for their parents, area police commander Matthew and his wife Alison, to meet the 37-year-old rower, who has also won three silver medals during her illustrious career.
But for the girls, from Hill of Forss, having the opportunity to meet one of the country’s top female athletes left them awestruck.
Mrs Reiss said that the family were visiting her parents in Edinburgh after the New Year when they received a phone call from the next door neighbours asking if they would like to come round and meet their daughter.
“Katherine’s parents live next door to my parents and we were invited to come around to meet her and see her medals during the New Year period,” she said.
“Both my daughters are very athletic and have a keen interest in sports, so they were amazed to actually meet Katherine.”Katie (14) a pupil at Thurso High School is a keen rugby and shinty player while Joanna (11) who is in her final year at Pennyland Primary School has a strong passion for netball and athletics.
Both girls were said to be inspired to have had the chance to speak to her and were especially intrigued to find out how heavy the gold medal was.
“They were both slightly in awe about who they were speaking to and you don’t get the opportunity to meet an Olympic gold medallist,” said Mrs Reiss.
“But she was very interested to find out what life in Caithness was like and what sports they were involved in and I think that by meeting her it has encouraged them to continue their sporting interests.”
Katherine Grainger won silver medals at Sydney 2000, Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 before stroking her way to the top of the podium at Henley on the Thames last year when she and Anna Watkins won the women’s double sculls. The former Edinburgh University student was also awarded a CBE in the New Year’s Honour list.
