By Lance Jenkinson
Footscray City Rowing Club’s rising star Louisa Bongrain will head into the off season with a hint of satisfaction after taking an enormous step in her rowing career this summer.
All the early mornings on the Maribyrnong River and the hard work in the gym came to fruition for Bongrain after she turned heads with strong results at local and national competitions.
“It probably would be my best season to date based off overall results,” she said.
“Not so much in how many trophies you bring home, but I’ve won some bigger events than I normally have, so that’s always good.
“When you compete at a national level, you kind of see better competition.
“It’s been a big step up from last year to this year.”
Bongrain will cherish her break-out performance at the nationals.
Competing at the home of rowing in Penrith, the 17-year-old impressed in all three of her events, but it was a bronze medal in the schoolgirls single scull that was the most memorable.
“Even though it wasn’t a win, the bronze at nationals was definitely the highlight of the season,” she said. “You do enjoy the sport, but it is tough sometimes the early mornings, so it’s nice to get a bit of reward.
“That was my first time up on the podium at the nationals.
“To go up there and have them hand you a national medal is definitely cool.”
Bongrain was competing among the best rowers in Australia.
There were also invitees from Team Japan in her events.
In the under-19 single scull, Bongrain won her heat, came third in the semi-final and eighth in the final.
In the under-19s double scull, racing with Melbourne Rowing Club’s Sophie Scott, the pair came second in their heat, fourth in the semi-final and sixth in the final.
Bongrain was thrilled to race alongside the star rowers in her age group.
“It was very exciting,” she said.
“You try and keep cool when you get up there, but I was definitely nervous.
“At the end of the day, it is fun to race and that’s what you’re there for, so if you give it everything, you can’t be too disappointed.”
Bongrain, a student at Maribrynong College, credited her coach Tony Lawless for the significant improvement in her rowing this season.
Lawless has been her coach for four years.
“Tony’s a massive part of my rowing,” Bongrain said. “Not only is it nice to have someone there to support me, but he has the knowledge to pass on and you build a friendship with your coach as well.
“They kind of know how to encourage and support, so it’s really helpful to have him there.
“He’s half the team really.”
The future looks bright for Bongrain.
The Kensington resident aspires to row for the Australian national team in the future, but she will go as far as her talent will take her.
