British rowing legend, Sir Steve Redgrave, has been roped in by Lavasa Corporation to help India realise its dream of winning an Olympic medal in the physically exhausting sport. Redgrave is one of the few athletes in history, to have won gold medals in five consecutive Olympic Games and the only one to have ever achieved the feat in an endurance event.
The Lavasa Corporation has signed an MOU with the five-time Olympic champion for setting up the Sir Steve Redgrave Rowing Academy in the Sahyadri mountains along the 60-km lake frontage of the planned hill city near Pune, a media release said today.
The academy will train students not just on the technical aspects of rowing but also mentor them in areas like regatta preparation, mental and physical conditioning in order to breed well-rounded rowers.
“I am tremendously excited about the creation of my first rowing academy. I have also been extremely impressed with Lavasa’s approach to date on the entire development,” said the British rowing legend who was knighted in 2001.
“To help nurture rowing is a passion of mine and I hope we will be able to play a significant role in the evolution of rowing in the country,” said the nine-time world champion, who dominated the sport from the mid-1980s to late 1990s.
The hill resort has already tied up with golfing great Sir Nick Faldo to launch a golf academy and with Manchester City Football Club to start a world class football academy. These projects are scheduled to be completed by 2012.