VICTORIA – After securing the silver medal in the women's eight at the 2024 Paris Olympics, University of Victoria women's rowing alumnae Avalon Wasteneys and Caileigh Filmer have cemented their names into history with the rare and remarkable feat of medalling in consecutive Olympic Games.
In what can only be described as a display of sheer grit, the Canadian women's eight crew clinched the silver medal in Paris, having earned their way to the final through the repechage.
The crew, a compelling mix of Olympic veterans and first-time competitors, were undeterred in Paris, never wavering as they worked to earn a place in the final. Taking third place in the qualifier, the team did not automatically advance but instead had to earn their spot through a repechage three days later, repeating their path from Tokyo.
With an impressive repechage performance, Canada finished with a time of 6:04.81, second only to the United States. This set the stage for a thrilling medal race, featuring top contenders from Australia and Italy.
In the final, Canada faced a close battle with Great Britain for second place with 500 meters to go but managed to hold their position and secure the silver medal.
Wasteneys, who was part of the gold-medal-winning eight crew at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, returned in Paris, while Filmer, a bronze medallist in the pairs event at the Tokyo Olympics, was added to the team this year after taking time away from the sport to focus on cycling.
For Wasteneys, who started as a novice with the Vikes and quickly climbed her way up the ranks, it was another full-circle moment. Her mother, Heather Clarke, rowed in the 1988 Seoul Olympics, and her aunt, Christine Clarke, in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.
Like Wasteneys, Filmer has rowing in her genes. Her mother, Helena, was also a national-level rower at the University of Victoria.
In a release from Rowing Canada, Wasteneys recounted the road to silver, "Right from the beginning, I think we all really trusted each other, and we knew it was going to be a really tough start and a really gritty race. We added some extra pushes in there, and there were times when I had moments of doubt, but I just kept backing myself by believing these girls around me because I knew we had such a strong crew. Right to the end, [Kristen] Kit was just pushing us and pushing us, and we hung on and gave our best effort."
With the two silver medals, the Vikes' all-time Olympic medal haul rises to 79.
