Lola Anderson Shares How Late Dad Inspired Her To Win Olympic Gold, “He’d Be So So Proud”

Sometimes, the dreams we have as children seem silly in hindsight. But Lola Anderson is proving why you should always go for the gold. At only 13 years old, she found herself mesmerized by the Olympic athletes in London. As a result, she imagined one day joining Great Britain’s rowing team. In fact, she wrote in her diary that, “I think it would be my biggest dream in life to go to the Olympics in rowing and if possible win a gold for GB.”

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When Anderson wrote this note, she was so full of hope and joy. But mere weeks later, she felt embarrassed by what she considered to be an unrealistic goal. So, she threw the note away. Little did she know, however, that her dad, Don, saved it. He would go on to encourage his daughter through her doubts, reminding her of the note two weeks before he died of cancer. Now, Anderson is looking back on these moments fondly as she celebrates her dream coming true in Paris 2024.

“I threw that (note) away, because I didn’t believe, why would you?” Anderson shares. “My dad saw it before I did, he saw the potential that I had but my potential wouldn’t have been unlocked without the girls who crossed the line with me today.”

Her talented teammates include Georgie Brayshaw, Hannah Scott, and Lauren Henry. By working together, they helped secure their win by 0.15 seconds over the Netherlands’ team.

Just like that, the dream Anderson had at 13 isn’t so silly after all. Best of all, Dad returned the note to her, and she keeps it in a tin in her bedroom.

“I’m very, very grateful for everyone that has got me here and [Dad] would be very proud if he was here,” Anderson says. “There’s nothing unfeminine about getting strong, getting athletic and enjoying being aggressive and racy … I just want all of the girls out there to feel that in the same way we do today.”

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