Four UVA Alums to Compete at World Championships

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Four former University of Virginia student-athletes will compete at the 2018 World Rowing Championships from Sept. 9-16 in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
 
Former UVA rowing standouts Susanne Grainger (Class of 2013), Kristine O’Brien (2013) and Christine Roper (Class of 2011) and former UVA two-sport athlete Meghan O’Leary (Class of 2008) are scheduled to compete in the prestigious international rowing competition. UVA has been represented by four or more competitors in each of the last five World Rowing Championships.
 
Grainger and Roper will represent Canada in the women’s eight. Grainger and Roper helped Canada to a silver medal at last year’s World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Fla. The duo has earned medals for Canada in the women’s eight in each of their last four World Rowing Championship appearances.
 
O’Brien will row in the women’s eight for the United States. O’Brien helped the U.S. to a fourth-place finish in the women’s four at last year’s World Rowing Championships. She earned a gold medal in the women’s four at the 2015 World Rowing Championships and a silver medal in the same event in 2016.
                               
O’Leary, a former UVA volleyball and softball player, makes her fifth World Championship appearance in the U.S. women’s double. O’Leary earned a silver medal with Ellen Tomek at last year’s championships and was a finalist at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
 
Fan can follow the action at the World Rowing Championships online at worldrowing.com.