Success Story: Olympic Gold Medalist Rowing Esther Lofgren

Namita Nayyar (WF Team)

8 years ago

Esther Lofgren: Olympic gold medalist rowing: Story of success created by following the dictum of Harder Better Faster Stronger Esther Ruth Lofgren was born on 28th February 1985, in Long Beach, California. She is an American rower and an Olympic gold medalist. She won gold medal in the women’s eight at the 2012 Summer Games in London. Lofgren is a graduate of Harvard University, where she rowed for Radcliffe Crew and was a two-time All-American. She is an eight-time member of the U.S. National Rowing Team, a current World Record holder in the women’s eight, and a seven-time World Championship medalist.

Esther Lofgren began her athletic career as a AYSO soccer player at age 5. Born to two elite rowers, Esther grew up around rowing, but tried nearly every other sport–not just soccer but also basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross-country, badminton, and tennis–before picking up an oar for the first time as a high school sophomore at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California.

The gangly, 13-year-old Lofgren–nicknamed “Chicken Legs”–was far from the strongest or fastest on the team her first season rowing, but she developed a deep love for the sport. Esther progressed by her senior year to become one of the top recruits in the country, and her concurrent academic achievements landing her an acceptance letter to Harvard University.

At Harvard, Esther rowed for the storied D1 women’s program, Radcliffe Crew, under legendary coach Liz O’Leary. She was a two-time All-American, helping the team to two NCAA Championship appearances.

As a college freshman, Esther was invited to try out for her first Under-23 National Team. She was cut from the camp, but returned the next year and not only made the 2006 Under-23 team and won gold in the eight, but was also invited to try out for the U.S. Senior National Team, earning a seat and winning bronze in the four in London–on the race course where she would one day win Olympic Gold! Esther won another Under-23 World Championship in 2007, the only time a U.S. women’s sculling crew has ever won gold.

A long shot to make the 2008 Olympic team, Esther came tantalizingly close to accomplishing just that, and was the last woman cut from the squad that went on to win gold in Beijing. But again, being cut only fueled the fire to achieve her dream. She set out to earn a spot on the team.

Four years later, after two more World Championship titles, Esther found herself sitting in “the engine room” of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Women’s Eight, the boat she’d worked for seven long years to be a part of. In a dominating performance, the crew led their entire race to take gold ahead of Canada and the Netherlands. It was a dream come true for Esther and her teammates.

Lofgren continues to compete nationally and internationally, most recently at the 2013 World Rowing Championships, training for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Esther Lofgren is world leading and highly accomplished rower, Olympic gold medalist 2012, Twice gold medalist Rowing World Championships and member of the U.S. National Rowing Team a Current World Record holder in the women’s eight in conversation with Namita Nayyar, President Women Fitness.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: You belong to a family of elite rowers . Both you parents, Karl and Christine Lofgren, trained for the Olympic rowing team that would compete at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games but just missed the final selection. How your parents influenced your spectacular rowing career ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: My parents have been unwavering supporters of my rowing career (as well as the other sports I played before). It has been very special to share my journey with them as they have a profound appreciation for the sacrifices, thrills, sorrows, and huge joys that have been and continue to be a part of it. I know that every time I step into a boat, they are right there pulling with me, and it has helped every step of the way.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You started late in selecting rowing as a sport in your life. In fact for the first time in High School Sophomore at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, California. How you overcame this disadvantage in your favour to succeed ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: Actually, that’s a pretty early start in rowing–more than half the women in our London 8 didn’t even start rowing till college! It’s only a disadvantage in that I started rowing in Southern California and almost nowhere else is as warm, beautiful, and row-able year round…it can spoil you a bit!

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What is your regular workout routine to remain in perfect shape ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: It depends on the time of year and how close we are to the Olympics, but I train 2-3 times per day, 6 days a week (and sometimes Sunday afternoons, too!) in a variety of disciplines: rowing, indoor rowing (“erging”), lifting weights, running, cycling, yoga, CrossFit/interval training, and to mix it up this year, Muay Thai! My boyfriend and I just adopted a puppy so there is also a lot of getting hauled around on a leash in my daily regimen. 🙂

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What healthy diet do you take ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: Pretty much the standard athlete prescription of eating healthy, natural, whole ingredients. I found out a few months ago that I have a lot of food sensitivities, and trying to omit eggs, almost every vegetable, yeast, and several legumes has been a challenge. However, it’s been great to have to break everything I eat down to the ingredients and really know what is in things, as well as to see a difference in my body and performance since making the changes.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: How did you feel before and after winning gold medal in the women’s eight at the 2012 Summer Games in London ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: Before: deeply grateful to everyone who helped me on my long path to getting there; excited to race after working so hard for that opportunity; and confident in the work my teammates and I had put in and the trust we had in each other. After: so happy I was actually hysterical. I am not a crier and I happy-cried for about 4 hours straight! It was amazing.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: Who has been your biggest influence and motivation in your path to success ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: The biggest influence has been looking up to my mentors and idols and being hopeful enough, and believing enough in myself, at the beginning–and at the hard parts of all of this–that I had what it took to make my dreams a reality. The night before we raced in London, I thought back of everyone who encouraged me, helped me, taught me, coached me, supported me, and even those who were discouraging but didn’t know how much I wanted to prove myself from those interactions. I think the desire to be my best self and knowing that could be a really awesome thing–that’s what has, and continues to drive me!

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What is your advice for girls who wish to make rowing as their career?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: Well–first, focus on school, because at least in the U.S., you need a job besides rowing even to be a “professional” rower! Second, it’s really important to work on improving yourself–your fitness and your technique–and you do that by working not only on the things you’re good at but especially on the things that you’re bad at! It’s harder, but you’ll get better and in the end, you’ll be your best. Third, just as important as being your best is learning how to make others be their best when they’re rowing with you.

Enhancing others’ strengths and balancing out their weaknesses is how your boat will go the fastest. And fourth, be a good teammate! There are no superstars in rowing–it is the whole crew that makes the boat go fast when you trust each other and all the work you have put in before you get to the starting line. The racing is the fun part!

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have been involved with the Washington, DC chapter of Athletes Without Limits. Tell us about this noble endeavour of yours?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: After meeting some of the Paralympic and ID (intellectually disabled) athletes after the London Games, as well as moving to Washington, DC which is home to the National Military Hospital (Walter Reed), I learned firsthand about the difference that sports can make in recovering from a devastating injury–as well as had the realization that, as sheepish as I am for not knowing before, ID athletes love the journey, the training, racing, and working every day to get a little better at something the same way that I and other non-ID athletes do. I’m really happy to support my AWL teammates as they work towards the World Championships and Paralympics in 2016!

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You are world leading women rower, model, writer, blogger and motivational speaker. How you are able to manage such a remarkable multi-dimensional, multi-faceted lifestyle?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: I don’t sleep as much as I’d like. 🙂 Seriously, though, I am lucky enough to have an amazing boyfriend who, instead of being angry when I tell him my flight’s landing at 2am, asks if I need a ride home from the airport. I also work full-time for a great company that supports my athletic and charitable work and gives me the flexibility to travel and train because they know that I still get my work done!

Even though I have a hard time saying no to new projects or to getting involved with a great cause, it’s inspiring to know that the work we are doing is changing lives and making a difference. I was lucky enough to have some amazing role models to look up to as a kid–and now, women in the business and athletic world who truly seem to do it all!–and trying to be like them continues to inspire me.

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: Kindly tell us about your slogan “Harder Better Faster Stronger” ?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: The original Daft Punk song became my favorite song to row to, run to, and listen to before races from the very first time I heard it. I had made two signs that I put up in my bedroom when I decided to start training for the Olympics, one with the Olympic motto (“Citius, Altius, Fortius” – Swifter, Higher, Stronger) and a quote from Michaelangelo (“Lord, grant that I might always desire more than I can accomplish.”) I think from the athlete perspective, and a personal perspective, HBFS combines those two–the confidence that you can accomplish something, but the hungriness to always pursue whatever next level there is.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Esther Lofgren: Keep making good choices, being good to yourself, and trusting your journey. Thank you for reaching out–you have so many great resources available on your site!

Women Fitness Team thanks Esther Lofgren for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and made this interview happen.

To know more about Esther Lofgren, Check out at: http://estherlofgren.com

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=5OaUKBxcJxM