JAMAICAN Christine Roper, a member of University of Virginia’s women’s rowing team, captured the NCAA Rowing Championships held at Lake Natoma near Sacramento, California, recently.

UVA was ranked No 1 heading into the three-day meet which comprised the top 16 teams in Division 1 collegiate rowing.

Roper rowed third seat in UVA’s 2V8, which on the final day placed fourth in her event, and the entire team’s goal was to win the overall title which they did with guts and determination.

Team coach Kevin Sauer was quoted as saying, “They were a dominant crew here from day one here, they rowed well and they rowed hard”.

Roper was introduced to rowing during her freshman year of high school at Kent School in Connecticut, USA, winning the Most Improved Rower award. Deemed a ‘natural’ in the sport, she quickly earned a seat in the Varsity Eight where she remained for the following three years.

During this time, she won several state and regional championships, competed in the prestigious 2005 Women’s Henley Regatta in England and spent a summer with the Canadian Jr National Team (she is a dual citizen) winning gold at the Canamex Games held in Mexico City.

Jamaican rower Christine Roper displays her trophy after copping the NCAA title in the USA recently.