Donna Etiebet

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013 – 2016

Etiebet won the first gold medal of her international career when she teamed up with Fiona Gammond, Holly Nixon and Holly Norton to claim the women’s fours title at the 2016 World Rowing Championships in Rotterdam. After winning their heat in tricky conditions, the four surged clear in the final to record an emphatic victory.

Racing in the women’s eight throughout 2015, Etiebet helped qualify the boat for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a fourth-placed finish at the World Rowing Championships in Aigubelette.

The season started with fifth place at the European Championships in Poznan, with the GB crew looking well on course for a medal until a boat-stopping crab in the closing stages.

They hit back with impressive bronze medals at the Varese and Lucerne World Cups, twice going under six minutes at the first of those, before finishing less than a second shy of the podium in Aiguebelette.

Etiebet also raced in the eight throughout 2014 and won a silver medal on her GB Rowing Team debut at the European Championships in Belgrade. She added bronze medals at the World Cups in Aiguebelette and Lucerne before finishing sixth at the World Rowing Championships in Amsterdam.

Her step up to international level followed an impressive domestic campaign in 2013 when she won pennants at the Pairs, Fours and Eights Head races as well as the intermediate coxed fours at Henley Women’s Regatta. She also made the semi-final of the Remenham Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta.

Born in Canada, Etiebet spent her early childhood in Nigeria and loved the warmth and sunshine – anywhere with a beach remains her ideal travel destination.

She returned to Canada and was a snowboard instructor before moving to the UK in 2002, where she learned to row at St Paul’s Girls’ School.  She studied biological anthropology at Cambridge University and was awarded a full Blue after winning the water polo varsity match in 2007.

After graduating, she worked in the City for five years and took up triathlons, with her best finish being fourth in a middle-distance race. She then took up rowing again with Thames Rowing Club.

Etiebet plans to return to her finance career when she finishes rowing but also enjoys DIY and browsing home renovation and decoration projects, so is hoping to launch her own business or e-site with that focus on the side.

A keen Spotify subscriber, her wide range of musical tastes include Hurts, Our Lady Peace, Haim, Macklemore, Lauryn Hill and Lianne La Havas, while Vikings, Happy Valley, Game of Thrones and Sherlock are among her favourite TV shows.

She also admires athlete Jo Pavey, saying: “She is such a strong role model showing it is possible to balance a successful sporting career alongside starting and growing a family.”

Etiebet is Lottery funded through UK Sport.