Olympic champion Georgie Brayshaw returns to Leeds Rowing Club to inspire next generation

Olympic champion Georgie Brayshaw has returned to her former rowing club in Leeds for the first time since winning gold in Paris 2024.

The 30-year-old attended a fundraising day on Saturday to offer support to the club and answer questions from aspiring rowers.

Complete with her gold medal, she told ITV News a lot has changed since she was last there.

Georgie met rowing stars of the future at Leeds Rowing Club

Georgie said: ''Look at the student programme in the background - when I was here, there was about 5 juniors and now I think there's about 80, it's incredible.

"I'm here really because it's my old club and I want to come and support - but also to show kids from Leeds that went to state school, that haven't come from a private school background, that anything is achievable and you can absolutely get gold."

Georgie won gold at Paris 2024 Credit: PA

Georgie posed for photos with student rowers, who described her as "inspirational."

She won gold in the women's quadruple sculls in the Paris Olympics along with teammates Lauren Henry, Lola Anderson, and Hannah Scott, beating the Netherlands by 0.15 seconds in a dramatic race to the line.

Olivia Marks is Leeds Rowing Club's next Olympic hopeful.

Youth rowers were urging rowing machines to raise money for the club

She said: ''I'd say the north is less privileged than the south when it comes to rowing. So it's really important to have this club and be able to accept people from all around.''

Leeds Rowing Club needs around £50,000 a year to keep operating - and David Saul from the club says events like the fundraising day can make a real difference.

He said: ''The club actually isn't very well endowed. Anything these children do - it actually helps them to go further in the sport.''

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