Emily Craig

Emily Craig MBE, born on November 30, 1992, in Pembury, England, first engaged with rowing through the British Indoor Rowing Championships at the age of 12. Her early success, including a silver medal, motivated her to join Bewl Bridge Rowing Club with aspirations of competing in the Olympics. Academically, Emily pursued a BA in History of Art from the Courtauld Institute of Art and later completed an MA in East Asian Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in 2015.

Craig began her international rowing career representing Great Britain at the U23 World Championships in 2013, where she secured a bronze medal in the lightweight quadruple sculls. Following her Master’s degree, she joined the senior GB Rowing Team full-time. Her Olympic debut occurred at the Tokyo 2020 Games in the lightweight women’s double sculls, where she and her partner set a World Best Time in the heats. Despite this, they narrowly missed a podium finish, placing fourth by 0.01 seconds. This experience served as a significant motivator for her subsequent performances.

Over her career, Emily has achieved multiple accolades, including three World Champion titles and two European Champion titles. A significant career highlight came at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where she became an Olympic Champion in the Lightweight Women’s double sculls alongside Imogen Grant. Her esteemed career culminated in her retirement from the GB Rowing Team, planning to pursue her other passion in Asian Art.