Jane Hall (GB Rowing Team Coach): “For me, mental strength is resilience, good attitude, humilit. It’s very easy under the pressure and excitement of racing to think about the finish line, before you’ve even started. So, my coaching is very much about keeping every rower in the absolute moment and the delivering the best stroke possible on the stroke thereon and not thinking about the next stroke until they’ve executed that stroke.”

Josie Verdonkschot (NED - Head Coach): “Mental strength to me is racing. The more exciting the race is, the less you feel the pain.”

John Smith (RSA): “Mental strength is preparing the mind and the body will follow. […] The nerves are going, but I like to do some focusing, I look at some of the competitors, not to think about to far in the race. Just in the here and now, thinking about that first stroke, first one or two, nothing more. How I’m going to take those strokes and I’m just trying to be as calm as I can.”

Sanita Puspure (IRL): “I think mental strength for me is, first of all, it comes from loving what you do. The more you enjoy, the more you’re willing to sacrifice for it and the more you’re willing to give. Family is my mental strength as well, I now they’re always behind me and they’re supporting me very much.”

Jean-Christophe Rolland (FISA President): For the crews of the same kind of preparation, what will make the difference is mentally actually and how they can copy the pressure and how they can ensure that they can reproduce what they have trained for hours on that day, on that time. Rowing is about physical strength, technique and it’s about mental. It’s really part of our sports and that’s also why our sports is so beautiful.”