BALLARAT Olympian Rachael Taylor says her silver medal from the 2000 Games in Sydney is a tangible reward for a long and successful rowing career.
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And while that chapter of her life ended more than a decade ago, it will be re-ignited on day three of competition at the World Masters Rowing Regatta.
Taylor has flown in from Perth for the women’s B eight event, which is the official part of a weekend reunion for a crew full of Australian Olympians.
The 38-year-old will join Ballarat’s Katie Foulkes (cox) and seven other rowers from around the country for the one-off race, scheduled for 10.12am on Saturday.
“We don’t get to catch up together as a big group very often these days so it’s a good excuse,” Taylor said.
Taylor, who still keeps active in regular surf boat rowing competitions with home club North Cottesloe, said it had been a long time since she had been in a flat-water boat.
And while it will be a bit of fun, she admitted the competitive juices were likely to flow once the race got under way.
“Once you start rowing and it starts really hurting, it gets very serious very quickly and no one likes coming second, third or fourth,” Taylor said.
“We just might be a bit rough around the edges.”
As part of the reunion, Taylor is spending two nights together with her crew in Ballarat before she flies back to Perth and her family on Monday.
Taylor partnered with Kate Slatter to claim silver in the women’s coxless pairs at the Sydney Olympics, and despite many other achievements, including medals at separate world championships, she said that result was the one everybody wanted to talk about.
“Had I not won that (silver medal in Sydney), I don’t think anybody would talk to me about rowing these days. Because that happened, it still comes up regularly in my life,” Taylor, who has two boys, aged four and five, said.
“The medal is what people want to talk about and what sets us apart.”
tim.oconnor@fairfaxmedia.com.au