Olympic rower and mother-of-two remembered with Sarah Tait Memorial Trophy

SHE was one of rowing’s most popular and successful athletes and from 2017 onwards the open women’s Coxless Pair Champions of Australia will be awarded The Sarah Tait Memorial Trophy.

Bill Tait, with his two children Luca, 2 and Leila, 6. Bills wife Sarah won silver in the London Olympics rowing but passed away last week to cancer. Picture: supplied

SHE was one of rowing’s most popular, admired and successful athletes and from 2017 onwards the open women’s Coxless Pair Champions of Australia will be awarded The Sarah Tait Memorial Trophy in memory of the Olympic mum who lost her battle with cervical cancer earlier this month.

Tait’s husband Bill, and daughter Leila were at the Australian championships in Penrith on Sunday to hear the news of the trophy dedication to the rowing icon who touched so many people in and out of the sport before passing away aged 33.

Sarah Tait is greeted by her daughter Leila, 3, after her London silver medal. .

“She competed ferociously in the Pair for many years, and was passionate about the boat class, focusing on it in the final years of her career,’’ Tait said of his wife, whose three year battle with cancer ended on March 3.

“She was also a proud Australian and West Australian athlete, who enjoyed sharing the ups and downs of racing and competing with so many of her friends and colleagues at the national championships. Sarah even fronted up as a coach in the years she couldn’t compete while pregnant.

“Her family and I are enormously proud of the mark Sarah has left on our sport, and now look forward to seeing the next crop of elite women’s sweepers fight is out in the Pair for the Sarah Tait Memorial Trophy.”

Tait represented Australia at three Olympic Games with her silver medal at the London Olympics with Kate Hornsey in the Coxless pair one of her highlights.

She was also Champion of Australia in the Open Women’s Coxless Pair on three occasions — 2005, 2011 and 2012.

Tait was also a member of the women’s eight that won the world championship in 2005 and also won silver in the Pair at that regatta.

Bill Tait, with his two children Luca, 2 and Leila, 6. Pic: Jason Edwards

She was diagnosed with cancer following the birth of her second child Luca in March 2013.

“Sarah competed and coached at the Australian National Championships for many years and it seemed only appropriate that her contribution to the sport of rowing be acknowledged in the creation of a new trophy for an event she was synonymous with in our sport,’’ Rowing Australia President Rob Scott said.

Sarah Tait and her daughter at the London Olympics.

“At the conclusion of this year’s event, the Carlton and United Breweries Plate will be retired and we will work with Sarah’s family to create a new trophy for Women’s Coxless Pair Champions of Australia.

“Sarah gave so much to Australian rowing, she was an exceptional role model and will go down in the annals of Australian Rowing history and we are extremely proud to be able to recognise this contribution by renaming a trophy in her honour.”

Originally published as Olympic rower and mother-of-two remembered with Sarah Tait Memorial Trophy