Hannah Scott aiming to inspire when she makes World Championship bid

By Paul Martin, Sportsbeat

World Championship-bound Hannah Scott wants her experiences to act as inspiration for the next generation of female Northern Irish rowers to follow her path to the top.

The Coleraine star is competing in the women's single sculls in Racice as she continues to make waves following her move to England two years ago.

That involved leaving friends and family behind and Scott, who was the first female from Bann Rowing Club to represent Great Britain, is well aware of the challenges Northern Irish youngsters face when trying to make their way up the ladder.

"I know it's not the easiest path to take but I feel I've kind of paved the way," she said.

"There are a lot more girls coming through now than I've seen before and it makes me so proud to see so many Northern Irish girls coming through and kicking on.

"The younger girls will chat to me and message me about the various stages of development and how I got through it, which I'm really proud of.

"It definitely wasn't an easy journey, especially in the junior years at school, and my family and friends are all at home so it's a bit of a sacrifice.

"I’'m really excited to see what's next over here and I still have a very strong connection with Bann.

"I watched the men [Alan Campbell, brothers Richard and Peter Chambers and Joel Cassells] compete at major championships and wanted to emulate them but as the first girl to do it, it's nice to create my own history.

"I want to keep representing them in the best way possible just as those before me have."

Scott missed last month's European Championships as she continued her recovery from a rib fracture but earned World Cup bronze earlier in the season in her first regatta as a single sculler.

Having previously been part of a quad, Scott is continuing to adjust to riding solo but the change of boat has given her a fresh impetus.

"It has been a good project for this year, especially in the first year of an Olympic cycle," she said.

"It can be more daunting by yourself but you learn a lot about yourself and there is a lot of self-management.

"Sometimes it’'s survive, sometimes it's thrive. It's different not being around the other girls but I'm really enjoying my time in the single scull.

"Going into Worlds, I'm really excited to see what I can do."

British Rowing is the governing body for the sport and is responsible for the development of rowing in England and the training and selection of rowers to represent Great Britain. The GB Rowing Team is supported by the National Lottery Sports Fund. To find out more, and to follow the ongoing World Championships in Racice, head to https://www.britishrowing.org/