Olympic Champion Imogen Grant makes the case for athlete activism
By David Alexander
In our latest CIPR Sports Network webinar, Olympic rowing champion and environmentalist, Imogen Grant, spoke about the importance of athletes using their platform to promote good causes.
Imogen Grant, an Olympic champion and Cambridge Blue, has made a significant impact both on and off the water.
Her journey in rowing began somewhat unexpectedly during her time at the University of Cambridge. Growing up in the city, she always aspired to attend the prestigious university and pursue a career in medicine. However, rowing was not initially part of her plan.
"I hadn't tried it at school," Imogen recalls. "But during freshers' week, I went to an event held by the Boat Club of my college. They offered two free drinks if you signed up for a taster session. I wasn't even planning to go, but I ended up chasing down the group on the way to the boathouse. I'm so glad I made it to that first session because everything snowballed from there."
From that point onwards, Imogen's university career was defined by her dual identity as a student and an athlete. Balancing her medical studies with the demanding training schedule of rowing was no easy feat. "I pretty much enjoyed it from the get go. From that point onwards, my university career was always being a student athlete. It was about balancing my studies with rowing and trying to take both of them to a really high level. It forced me to be efficient and prioritise," she explains.
"There was a great sense of achievement turning up to 9:00 AM lectures, knowing that I'd already done a rowing session that day."
Imogen's dedication paid off as she went on to represent Cambridge in the Boat Race, setting course records and winning the event three times. "Given that I'd learnt to row at Cambridge, it was the first big event that anybody ever talked about," she says. "I have really vivid memories from that day, watching these incredible women trailblazing and doing this race for the first time. From that point onwards, there was always that bit of curiosity of maybe I could do that one day.
“I had the privilege of racing with some incredible people at Cambridge. I made the blue boat three times, set the course record twice and it's something that is such a special experience. I wish more people could experience the boat race because it's it's like no other rowing race in the world.”
When international competition beckoned, Imogen suffered heartbreak when she missed out on a medal at Tokyo 2020 by 0.01 of a second. The Games were delayed by a year and Imogen had already paused her degree to focus on the competition, adding to the disappointment.
Things were different at the Paris 2024 Games, with Imogen and her partner Emily Craig winning gold to become Olympic champions.
“There was so much emotion, so much adrenaline, in that first 24 hours after winning, I think I spent 12 minutes seeing my family and friends. The rest of it was in taxis, doing interviews, going to the BBC sat going to the Channel 4 set…it was absolutely hectic.
“People sometimes put pressure on themselves in interviews. For me, I always want to be as honest as I can, within reason, and being myself.”
However, Imogen’s achievements extend beyond the realm of sports. She is also a passionate advocate for environmental sustainability and the health of the UK's waterways.
Her interest in sustainability was sparked at a young age. "I was brought up vegetarian, and that was my first interaction with the idea of sustainability," she says. "As a child, I cared about the animals, but more importantly, I understood the environmental impact of meat consumption.
“It was probably five years into my rowing career that I really started thinking more seriously about the environment because I've been on the waterways for long enough that I'd started to see them changing.
This realisation motivated her to use her platform as an athlete to raise awareness about environmental issues.
She added: “As a second year university student who'd been rowing for about a year and a half, I was sat down in media training and I had it explained to me quite early on about the impact of the media, for good or for bad, and I think that was really beneficial for me in terms of understanding where that fits in being an athlete.”
“For me, being an athlete isn't just about playing sports. I feel a responsibility to use the platform I've gained from rowing to talk about something that's really important to me. Having an athlete who only does their sport and nothing else is a very narrow view of what we can do as sports people.
“I had explained to me quite early on the impact of the media, for good or for bad, and I think that was really beneficial for me in terms of understanding. where that fits into being an athlete.
“I was concerned that if I started speaking up more about sustainability, people would start pointing fingers that I'm not doing enough. I'm not living a completely sustainable life. But perfect is the enemy of good, and doing something is better than doing nothing.
“I have kids come up to me saying that I'm an inspiration and I get asked to do talks and speak to people. It's so much more impactful when I can talk about something that isn't just trying to go fast in a straight line on a 2km rowing lake and I definitely feel a responsibility to use the interests and platform that I have gained from my rowing.
“I ‘m not just a rower. I am a rower and a sustainability advocate, and that means that I have more balance. I genuinely think it makes me a better athlete.“
Imogen's advocacy work is supported by programs like the True Athlete Project's "Power by Purpose," which champions athlete activism. "It was a massive catalyst for giving me the confidence and tools to actually use my platform," she acknowledges.
Her efforts have not gone unnoticed, as she received the IOC Climate Action Award for her contributions to sustainability which has led to mentorship with a sustainability expert from Deloitte as well as an MBE in the recent New Year’s honours.
Imogen believes that her diverse interests have made her a better athlete. "Having something else that I'm passionate about gives me more balance and perspective."
Imogen's journey is a testament to the power of sport to drive positive change. She encourages other athletes to embrace advocacy, even if it feels daunting. "Often, athletes get held to a high standard and worry about hypocrisy or lack of knowledge," she says. "But sport is all about caring, and activism is just about caring on a foundational level."
She was invited to speak at the Labour Party Conference last year after meeting DCMS Minister Lisa Nandy at Team GB’s homecoming event.
“I got to stand up and talk about what I thought was really important and try and get that message across to the people in that room who were there to listen to me and who actually make decisions. I found it very inspiring to be in a place where I could talk directly to the people that could actually change policy.
“The sustainability piece we're trying to have a healthier world. We're trying to lessen our impact. That's so tied to us as humans, our physical and mental health. And then what's better for your physical and mental health than doing sport and getting outside in nature, which is going to mean that you see the impacts of the climate crisis, it feels very linked to me.”
Looking ahead, Imogen remains committed to her dual passions. She continues to work as a doctor at Wexham Park Hospital in Slough while preparing for future rowing competitions, with one eye on Los Angeles 2028.
Imogen's story is one of dedication, resilience, and a deep commitment to making a difference.
Through her achievements in rowing and her advocacy for environmental causes, she exemplifies the impact that athletes can have beyond their sport.
As she continues to inspire others, Imogen's legacy will undoubtedly be one of both athletic excellence and meaningful change.
