Profile: Kristen Kit, runner, Olympic gold medallist in rowing

Follow along as Kristen Kit provides her first-person perspective as an Olympic gold medallist in rowing, who enjoys road racing too.

Kristen Kit began rowing in 2002 in St. Catharines, Ontario. Her grandfather was the teacher advisor who started the rowing team at her high school while she was in Grade 9. She coxed her first race in April 2003 but didn’t actually know how to steer the boat; her team still won despite crossing the width of the course multiple times. Kristen slept in her car for three weeks during her first summer trying out for the U23 national team because she didn’t want to miss the opportunity. She had dreamed of competing for Canada since watching the giant Canadian flag unfurled at the Nagano 1998 Closing Ceremony

Kristen Kit was the coxswain of the Canadian women’s eight crew that won gold in her Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020. It was Canada’s first Olympic gold in any women’s rowing event since Atlanta 1996 and the first gold in the women’s eight since Barcelona 1992.

Kristen is pursuing a degree in economics at the University of Victoria. She enjoys mountain biking, coffee, doughnuts, indulging in expensive Italian red wine when she can, and running the Island Race Series.

Follow along at www.islandseries.org as Kristen writes about her experiences taking in the Island Race Series from January to April. Catch her musings before she heads off to work with Rowing Canada again for the spring and summer seasons.

Accomplishments

Olympic Games: 2020 – GOLD (W8+)

Paralympic Games: 2016 – BRONZE (LTA4+); 2012 – 7th (LTA4+)

World Rowing Championships: 2019 – 4th (W8+); 2018 – SILVER (W8+); 2017 – SILVER (W8+); 2015 – BRONZE (LTA4+); 2013 – BRONZE (W8+)

World Rowing Championships (U23): 2010 – BRONZE (W8+); 2009 – 4th (W8+)