Morgan Rosts heading to Tokyo
Morgan Rosts is heading to the Tokyo Olympics as the spare for Canada’s heavyweight rowing team. Photos by KEVIN LIGHT.
Last Wednesday night was a momentous occasion for Morgan Rosts.
The 24-year-old Jordan native was notified via phone call from Ian Brambell, Rowing Canada’s director of high performance, that she would be heading to the Tokyo Olympics as the lone spare for the heavyweight women’s program.
The Ridley Graduate Boat Club member was chosen to be spare over two other athletes.
Rosts knew someone would be notified that evening and she was nervous waiting for the news.
“At first, it was a sigh of relief. ‘OK that’s awesome.’ And then I had a huge smile on my face and I was very excited. It was a mix of emotions because selection was finally done. Our process for the whole team started in January and it has been a long time coming and there had been a lot of ups and downs.
“At first, not making the women’s four was really upsetting but knowing I had a shot at still being the spare was exciting.”
Rosts was competing for a spot in the four and was involved in World Cup simulations. She was in and out of the boat on different occasions and it came down to the final seat about a month ago.
“I lost out to an older athlete who had been to Rio.”
The Governor Simcoe graduate’s versatility likely played a role in her selection as spare.
“I can row starboard, port and I can scull. I can fill in anywhere except lightweight.”
Because injuries are a part of rowing, Rosts will need to stay ready on Tokyo.
“There’s 19 rowers in total and 17 are heavyweight rowers. Anything could happen and I’ve been told that I have to be ready and be prepared for anything. This whole year I have had to be very adaptable and resilient so it just kind of goes along with the theme of the year,” she said. “I am able to row both sides so I can hop in anywhere where I am needed. It will be thrilling to have the experience of being around the team and in the Olympic environment even if I don’t end up racing.”
It is already one year into the next Olympic quadrennial and Rosts is happy with the strides she has made in rowing.
“I feel this last year that I have really developed a lot and I would credit that to my coach at home, Nancy Storrs, through COVID and also out here with Michelle Darvill,” she said. “I took a lot of strides this year and I am ready to take the next step. Obviously it was hard not to make the team but it has motivated me. Now that I have had a taste of being in a senior boat, I want to continue on and see how much more I can improve.”
Storrs did a lot for Rosts when the rower came home from Victoria in the spring of 2020.
“ I was just coming back from a rib injury at that point and during COVID, she let me use her boat and her oars. She would come out whenever I was able to row whether it was 7 a.m. or 7 p.m.” Rosts said. “She would drive down to Henley Island to be able to coach. Nancy is really awesome and she is alway trying to give back and make you better.”
Rosts and the rest of the Canadian Olympic team will leave July 1 for a training camp in Sagamihara, Japan.
“I am excited to have a real race again. It has been two years since we’ve had any international competition and we have been just racing against ourselves,” she said. “It will be great to be in that competitive environment again.”
Because of COVID protocols, Rosts knows the Olympics will be different but she is looking forward to soaking up the atmosphere of the Olympic Village and representing Canada.
“Having the whole country behind you is a really cool feeling.”
Tokyo should help Rosts’ quest for a spot in the 2024 Paris Games.
“It will be really good for my development and the next time around I will know what to expect. I will be watching the people who do really well and see what they do during this whole process, from how they handled the training camp to the way they are in the Olympic Village.”
If she isn’t required to fit in for an injured athlete, Rosts’ role is being a good teammate.
“I will be supportive, do what my teammates need me to do and help wherever I can.”
The former University of Virginia scholarship rower won under-23 world championship gold medals in the eight in 2017 and 2018 and had a 12th-place finish in a four at a 2019 World Cup event in Rotterdam, Netherlands. In 2019, she also made her first appearance at the senior worlds as a spare for Canada in the eight and four in Ottensheim, Austria.
