Georgina Brayshaw

Georgina Megan Brayshaw (born 14 October 1993) is a British professional rower and a member of the Great Britain Rowing Team. She is a double European champion, World champion and Olympic gold medallist. that left her in a coma for nine days and resulted in paralysis on her left side. The accident occurred while she was galloping through a field, and she has no memory of the incident itself. Despite the severity of her injuries, which required her to relearn how to use the left side of her body, Georgina regained most bodily functions after a year and fueled her characteristic resilient attitude. "I just love proving people wrong" has since become her catchphrase and went on to drive her athletic aspirations.

Career Outset Originally from Leeds, Brayshaw's introduction to rowing came during her second year at the University of Northampton. Despite not initially making the cut for the GB Start project, she continued to pursue the sport, joining Leeds Rowing Club after graduation and eventually securing a place in the GB Start Olympic Pathway Programme in 2014. Georgina quickly showed an aptitude for the sport and began climbing the ranks, moving to Leander Club in 2017, and joining the British Rowing Women's Squad in 2020.

Major competitions Brayshaw won her first major gold medal in the quadruple sculls at the 2022 European Rowing Championships in Munich, Germany.

At the 2023 World Rowing Championships in Belgrade, she won the World Championship gold medal in the Stroke (position) seat of the Quadruple sculls with Lauren Henry, Hannah Scott and Lola Anderson. The same crew continued to win Gold's with the same crew for the 2024 European Rowing Championships in Szeged, Hungary and 2024 World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland.

At the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, Georgina and her team won Great Britain’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the Women’s Quadruple Sculls boat class.

Other accolades In February 2023, Brayshaw won the openweight women's single (W1X) category of GB Rowing open senior trials in Boston Lincolnshire. As a result she was ranked no.1 in the senior women's team at this time.

Georgina currently holds the world record for the 5 km distance on the RP3 rowing machine (Female, Open Category, Open Weight)

Major achievements 2024 1st - Olympic Championships, Paris, France 1st - European Championships, Szeged, Hungary 1st - World Rowing Cup, Lucerne, Switzerland

2023 1st - World Championships, Belgrade, Serbia 3rd - European Championships, Bled, Slovenia 2nd - World Rowing Cup, Lucerne, Switzerland 2nd - World Rowing Cup, Varese, Italy

2022 3rd - World Championships, Racice, Czech Republic 1st - European Championships, Munich, Germany 2nd - World Rowing Cup, Lucerne, Switzerland.

Awards In April 2024, Brayshaw was named Great Britain Rowing Team Women's Olympic Athlete of the Year

She was awarded an MBE in the 2025 New Year Honours for services to rowing.