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Anna Bebington

Anna Watkins MBE
Anna Watkins.jpg
Personal information
Birth name Anna Rose Bebington
Full name Anna Rose Watkins
Nationality  United Kingdom
Born (1983-02-13) 13 February 1983 (age 34)
Leek, Staffordshire, England
Residence Wokingham, Berkshire, England
Education Natural Sciences
Alma mater Newnham College, Cambridge
Occupation Student
Years active 2001–
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Website annawatkins.co.uk
Sport
Country Great Britain
Sport Rowing
Event(s) Double sculls
University team Newnham College Boat Club
Club Rob Roy Boat Club
Leander Club
Turned pro 2003

Anna Rose Watkins MBE (née Bebington, born 13 February 1983), is an English rower.

A two-time Olympian, Watkins won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics, both in the double sculls. She has also won four medals in the World Championships, winning gold in successive years, in 2010 and in 2011.

Watkins was born and raised in Leek, Staffordshire, where she attended Westwood College. She studied Natural Sciences at Newnham College, Cambridge, where she started rowing in 2001.

She took her first strokes with Newnham College Boat Club and was captain of lower boats and then secretary for the club. Watkins represents Leander Club in rowing events.

At Cambridge, her college crew were Head of the Cam in 2003, before she moved onto the World Class Start talent identification programme run by UK sport, and based at Rob Roy Boat Club. In 2004, she made her international debut, winning a gold medal in the Coxless IVs at the World Under 23 Regatta in Poznań, Poland with crewmates Natasha Page, Beth Rodford and Alison Knowles.

In 2005, Watkins made her senior international debut with the Women's Eight, achieving a fifth place at the World Championships in Gifu, Japan. She also won an Under 23 bronze medal at the World U23 Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.

In 2006, Watkins switched to sculling and began competing in the double scull, a boat class she has remained with since then. The World Championships in 2006 were on home water at Eton Dorney. Watkins partnered Annabel Vernon, and they came in fourth place, having won the World Cup series earlier that season.


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