Kim Brennan

Australian rower who became the first Australian woman in 20 years to win an Olympic rowing gold medal, dominating the single sculls at the 2016 Rio Games after switching from a promising career in athletics.

Kimberley Jean Brennan, born Crow, was born on 9 August 1985 in Melbourne, and competed as a 400-meter hurdler, winning silver at the 2001 World Youth Championships, before stress fractures in her foot forced a switch to rowing at almost 20 through the Victorian Institute of Sport's talent transfer program. She progressed rapidly, winning a bronze medal in the women's eight at the 2006 World Championships within a year of taking up the sport, and competed at her first Olympics at Beijing 2008 in the coxless pair. At the 2012 London Olympics, Brennan - then competing as Kim Crow - made history by contesting two separate rowing events, winning silver in the double sculls with Brooke Pratley and bronze in the single sculls, becoming Australia's first-ever medalist in that event. She married fellow Olympic rowing gold medalist Scott Brennan in December 2015, taking his surname, and entered the 2016 Rio Olympics as the world champion in the single sculls, having won that title in both 2013 and 2015. In treacherous crosswind conditions at Rio's Lagoa Stadium that made racing almost 'unrowable,' Brennan led the single sculls final from start to finish to win gold, becoming the first Australian woman to win an Olympic rowing gold medal in 20 years and the only Australian gold medalist of those Games in the sport. She dedicated the win in part to fellow Olympic rower Sarah Tait, who had died of cervical cancer months before the Games. Brennan retired in November 2018 following the birth of her son, having also worked as a lawyer and newspaper columnist throughout her career, and has since served in senior roles within Australian Olympic sports administration, including chairing the Australian Olympic Committee's Athletes' Commission.

Powerful, tactically composed single sculler known for controlled front-running and the ability to hold form in difficult racing conditions

Regarded as one of Australia's finest single scullers, whose journey from athletics to rowing dominance in under a decade established her as one of the country's most versatile Olympic champions

• 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, Single Sculls - first Australian woman to win rowing gold in 20 years
• 3 Olympic medals across 3 Games
• 2x World Champion, Single Sculls (2013, 2015)
• 2016 Olympic Flagbearer for Australia (Closing Ceremony)