“Training hard is not the only thing that’s going to get you the gold medal. It’s how you approach every situation you find yourself in and every racing decision you end up making.”

Claire Bode is a busy young woman. As full-time scholar and champion rower (representing South Africa at the Junior World Championships in 2008), she also plays for her school’s first netball team – all the while ensuring that her social life does not suffer unnecessarily. “I just choose my weekends and parties carefully”, she smiles.

Her rowing career started when a friend needed a rowing partner of roughly equal height. “She asked me to join her for a session to see if I liked it. Been hooked ever since.” The fun, the friends, the rush of adrenaline and the sense of achievement are only some of the reasons that have assured her continued dedication to her chosen sport.

Although she firmly believes that ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ and goes for gold with every stroke, her well-balanced character shines through when she says: “The strong and happy emotions of victory allows you to forget about the pain after a hard race. But to lose is not devastating; it just says that someone else had a better day.”