Robyn Grey-Gardner (born 6 September 1964) is an Australian former eight-time national champion, national representative, Olympic and Commonwealth Games medal winning rower. She won Australian championships in all three sweep-oared women's rowing events - the

coxless pair A coxless pair is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for two rowers, who propel the boat with sweep oars. The crew consists of a pair of rowers, each having one oar, one on the stroke side (rower's right h ...

, the coxless four and in the

eight 8 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 8 or eight may also refer to: Years * AD 8, the eighth year of the AD era * 8 BC, the eighth year before the AD era Art *The Eight (Ashcan School), a group of twentieth century painters associated with the As ...

Club and state rowing

Grey-Gardner's senior rowing was from the

Adelaide University Boat Club The Adelaide University Boat Club is a rowing club affiliated with the University of Adelaide. The club was founded in 1881, and in 1896 helped to form the Adelaide University Sports Association. The main clubrooms, donated by Robert Barr Smit ...

and the Torrens Rowing Club in South Australia, and later Mosman Rowing Club in Sydney. From 1982 she rowed in South Australian representative senior women's

coxless fours A coxless four is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars, without a coxswain. The crew consists of four rowers, each having one oar. There are two rowers on ...

contesting the ULVA Trophy at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships. She competed in that event from 1982 to 1984 and in 1988. She contested national championship titles at the Australian Rowing Championships on numerous occasions. In

Adelaide University The University of Adelaide (informally Adelaide University) is a public research university located in Adelaide, South Australia. Established in 1874, it is the third-oldest university in Australia. The university's main campus is located on N ...

colours she competed in the women's coxless four in 1982 and 1983 and in the women's

championship in 1982. In 1984 she raced in Australian selection trial crews and wearing Torrens Rowing Club colours she won national championships in the Australian women's

and the eight and competed in the coxless four . In 1985 Grey-Gardner was living in Sydney and rowing for Mosman Rowing Club when she contested the

and coxless four at the national championships that year in Australian selection combinations. In 1985 rowing was first included as an AIS scholarship sport and in 1986 Grey-Gardner earned a scholarship to the AIS and that year she won further Australian Championship titles - the coxless pair and at stroke in the women' eight - both raced as all-AIS crews. From 1986 to 1988 she contested all three sweep-oared national championship events each, she won the pair and the coxless four in 1987 and won in the four and eight (at stroke) in 1988.

International representative rowing

Grey-Gardner was selected in the bow seat of the Australian representative women's coxless four for the

1984 Los Angeles Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and also known as Los Angeles 1984) were an international multi-sport event held from July 28 to August 12, 1984, in Los Angeles, California, United States. It marked the secon ...

. That crew brought home a bronze medal - Australia's first Olympic medal in women's rowing. Australia sent women's crews to the

1986 Commonwealth Games The 1986 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a 'Cho-fhlaitheis 1986) were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 24 July and 2 August 1986. They were the second Games to be held in Edinburgh. Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largel ...

and Grey-Gardner raced in the four to a silver medal and in the six seat of the women's eight who won gold. A month later at the

1986 World Rowing Championships The 1986 World Rowing Championships were World Rowing Championships that were held from 17 to 24 August 1986 at Nottingham in the United Kingdom. Medal summary Looking at the open weight classes only, East Germany was the most successful nation ...

in Nottingham, Grey-Gardner stroked the Australian coxless four who finished in seventh place overall.

Professional career

Grey-Gardner is an environmental scientist who works to improve access to and the safety of drinking water in remote regional locations. She has worked with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples across Australia implementing risk management approaches and consulting to government and service providers. In 2017 she was the lead author of the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality: Small Water Supplies Field Guide and has written Australia's field guide for the risk management of small water supplies in remote communities.Profile at World Science Festival
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References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Grey-Gardner, Robyn 1964 births Living people Australian female rowers Rowers at the 1984 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Australia Olympic medalists in rowing Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics Commonwealth Games medallists in rowing Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia Commonwealth Games silver medallists for Australia Rowers at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Rowers from Adelaide Sportswomen from South Australia