It was a conversation that changed Rebecca Shorten’s life and set her on the path to sporting stardom that culminated in a silver medal at the Paris Olympics.
The Belfast rower was part of the Team GB four that finished second in the final.
The team, also comprising Helen Glover, Esme Booth and Sam Redgrave, lost out on the line to the Netherlands by just an 18th of a second.
While their gold dream was dashed, there was a silver lining, boosting Northern Ireland’s medal tally on a day when Banbridge rower Philip Doyle and his partner Daire Lynch claimed double sculls bronze for Team Ireland.
Shorten’s story is remarkable, with her former mentor pinpointing a conversation 16 years ago that set her on a new course.
Sam Redgrave, Rebecca Shorten, Helen Glover and Esme Booth of Team GB
Enda Marron, her teacher and rowing coach when she was at Methodist College in Belfast, said her journey to the podium in Paris began after a science lesson in 2008.
“I was her chemistry teacher and she wasn’t the best chemist,” he told the Belfast Telegraph.
“She had handed in some chemistry work that wasn’t the best.
“It was okay, it just wasn’t the best, and she was a bit embarrassed by it and a bit shy about it.”
Mr Marron said he knew Rebecca wasn’t going to excel in a science career, but saw her potential as a rower.
He said: “I remember saying to her: ‘Who cares about chemistry? Let’s get you into a boat and down to the river’.
“After that she just went from strength to strength and the rest is history.”
At the time Shorten was only 14.
Sixteen years later, and she is the proud owner of an Olympic silver.
Read more
Mr Marron said he always believed she was capable of competing on the greatest stage.
He explained: “I’ve been very lucky to have trained and rowed with Olympic level rowers and you get to a point where you can tell if they have it — and you could see Rebecca had it.”
He added that, even at a young age, she worked hard to develop her skills.
He said: “It’s just genetics and hard work when it comes down to it.
“There are plenty of people who are naturally talented but never get to an Olympic level because they don’t put the work in.
“Rebecca was willing to put in the work, even when she was in school she was constantly working on her skill.
“I don’t think the general public appreciate the sacrifice it takes to be a professional athlete.
“They don’t understand the suffering that goes into that kind of commitment, and it is a lot of suffering.
“But, in the end, it’s worthwhile for the athletes.”
rebecca
Shorten first competed at an Olympics three years ago in the delayed Tokyo Games, when her team finished fourth.
This time they got a lot closer to finishing first.
Mr Marron added: “It would have been lovely to see them getting gold this year, I think they could have done it.
“It was a very close call, but that’s the nature of sport.
“I’m very proud of her and everything she has achieved — I was in tears yesterday.
“She is really an inspiration for all of the young people, boys and girls.
“She has come into the school and has given out GB kits for the rowers, she really cares about the next generation.”
Throughout his career Mr Marron has come into contact with many Olympic prospects, and he believes more young people will be inspired to follow Rebecca’s lead.
“I think we will start to see more and more people competing because we are now taking sport seriously,” he said.
“For years, across the island, we didn’t take sport as seriously as we could.
“But now coaches like myself are training the young people to the best of their ability and now we can see them competing at a global level.”
Philip Doyle, left, and Daire Lynch, right
Elsewhere, Doyle secured bronze in the double sculls for Ireland.
Romanians Sebastian Cornea and Florian Enache claimed gold in a thrilling race, with Melvin Twellaar and Stef Broenink of the Netherlands hanging on for silver.
Doyle and Lynch recorded a time of 6.15.17, less than three seconds behind the winners.
The Irish pair held off stiff competition from the American duo to win bronze.
Doyle dedicated his medal to the memory of his father Eamonn, a BBC cameraman who passed away nine years ago.
“Yeah, he’s always in your thoughts,” he said.
“I only just started my rowing career and brought back my first medal to him in the hospice in Newry.
“I always say a little prayer on the start line.
“I always take a little bit of solace from it.
“It’s great to do something in somebody’s memory, no matter what way it is.”