The Comeback of a lifetime
In the eyes of many women Hannah Every-Hall has done something that deserves a gold medal.
18 months after giving birth to her 2nd son Charlie , the 32-year-old managed to shed 12kg while caring for the newborn and his three-year-old brother Harrison and return to top level lightweight rowing and win three National Rowing titles (Single, Double and Quad Lightweight Scull).
The former Bendigo/Noosa based mum, now relocated to Canberrra to accept an AIS scholorship, is trying to inspire others with her own story of how an overweight teenager rose to the highest occasion, not once but twice, to become a world rowing champion.
The first time was when this former rural Victorian netball player, who took up competitive rowing at university, won the under 23 lightweight double scull in 1999, then the Senior lightweight quad scull in 2002.
Most mothers with two growing boys to look after would rest on their laurels and come to grips with the extra family demands. But Hannah has some unfinished business in London. A little thing called the Olympic Games that were denied her in 2004 when she was at the peak of her powers – up until that point at least.
A serious ovary disorder forced her out of competition for a year but she was on track to make her mark at the Athens Olympic trials when she was floored by an anaphylactic reaction to her cat.
"After that I had to decide whether I wanted to press on for another four years (to the Beijing Olympics) or if I wanted to have a family." Obviously I chose the family option and our two boys Harrison (Nov 2006) and Charlie (Oct 2008) took our attention away from rowing.
But after Charlie came along, a voice kept telling her to go for it – her elusive Olympic dream.
Such has been the speed of her comeback – she has only been back in training for just under 2 years (started July 2009) after six years away from top level rowing – that she has was selected to represent Australia for last years WOrld Rowing Cup tour or Europe. Rowing with Victorian Alice McNamara, Australia's mighty lighty's won the Gold Medal.
The win continued an amazing 11 months for Hannah that yielded 3 state titles, 3 National Titles and the World Cup Gold. All whilst looking after two small boys and relocating from Noosa to Canberra.
Hannah then continued on to the World Rowing titles in New Zealand in Nov 2010 where after battling tough and rough conditions they managed a 4th place finish.
2011 has started much like 2010 with Hannah defending her lightweight single scull title in Adelaide in March and then qualifying for this years european tour which will involve stops in London, Lucerne, Varese and Bled where the 2011 World Rowing Championships will be held in September.
Hannah, who lists rowing legend Drew Ginn as one of her heroes, lives by the motto "If not now, when? If not me, who?" says balance is the key.
"The kids definitely give me a lot of balance."
Her overall goal in life on her website is simple and to the point: "Combine motherhood and top level competition to prove that mothers can achieve at the highest level."
To get there she needs as much professional support available to become a corporate ambassador.
MOTHER
