We are delighted that Amy has joined our BRIT Ambassador family.
Amy spent three years representing Great Britain at events including the ICF World Cup circuit, European Championships and Senior World Championships.
“I am delighted to join the BRIT Ambassador family and champion the BRIT 2021 Challenge to support and improve young adult mental health and fitness throughout the UK. The BRIT 2021 Challenge is a super opportunity for every UK university, college and student union to enter teams and encourage their students and staff to take part.
As a former School Outdoor Pursuits Instructor and student at Oxford Brookes University, Loughborough University and Nottingham Trent University, I can appreciate the many mental health challenges faced by students and young adults. I am also aware that the COVID-19 pandemic is compounding the existing mental health challenges faced by many young adults.
Ensuring that young adults and students receive support when they need it is vital; it is fantastic that all donations raised by the BRIT 2021 Challenge will be shared equally between five mental health charities who support students and young adults.
The BRIT 2021 Challenge has been designed to enable young adults of all abilities to participate on campus or at home. Students and staff can add their miles to their team’s 2,021 mile target and feel connected, have fun and know they are making a difference with any donations they raise. I am thrilled that the challenge is fully inclusive with many ways to take part including hand-cycling, cycling, wheelchair pushing, swimming, walking, jogging, running, rowing or paddling (canoeing, kayaking or paddle-boarding).
In addition to delivering the BRIT 2021 Challenge throughout the UK, BRIT are providing inspiration and encouragement through their Ambassadors; Olympians, Paralympians, sports personalities, adventurers and explorers who are uniting to support and improve young adult mental health. I urge my Olympians, Paralympians and athletes to join our BRIT Ambassador family so young adults and students at every university and college are enthused to take part in the BRIT 2021 Challenge.
I look forward to encouraging students and staff at Oxford Brookes University and Nottingham Trent University to take on the BRIT 2021 Challenge and supporting them as they complete their 2,021 miles.”
Before canoeing, Amy was a keen equestrian event rider and also swam at county level.
She found her local canoe club (Oxford Falcon Canoe Club) and organised her first session on the water. She was combining training at Banbury/Oxford Falcon Canoe Club with studying for a Sport Science Degree (BSc) at Oxford Brookes University before joining the UK Sport Talent Identification Programme, Girls4Gold.
Amy joined the Girls4Gold scheme in 2013 where she completed a tough selection procedure with 800+ candidates whittled down to 12 successful candidates. From her recruitment into the world of elite sport and Sprint Canoeing, Amy’s training increased. The Girls4Gold scheme was aimed at finding women aged between 19 – 25 years, who showed potential to win medals at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Following her selection, Amy moved up to Nottingham to train full-time at the National Water Sports Centre.
Following two years training full time on the scheme, Amy successfully transitioned into the Senior team. Concurrently, during her time in Nottingham, she finished her BSc in Sport and Exercise Science with 1st Class Hons at Loughborough University and her MSc in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University.
Despite only first picking up a paddle in 2011, during her three years as part of the Great Britain team, Amy took fifth place in the first round of the 2017 World Cup and ninth place at the 2017 World Championships. Following the Senior World Championships in 2018, Amy retired from International Competition in order to pursue a challenging career in the corporate sector.
To read more about Canoe Sprint Racing in the UK, please visit the official site of the Canoe Sprint Racing Committee. For more information on canoeing and para-canoeing in the UK, please visit the British Canoeing website and the UK Sport website.