GOWLER Kerri

General
MISSING OUT ON PAIR IN RIO
She began rowing in the women's pair with Grace Prendergast at the New Zealand national trials in 2014, having previously rowed together in the women's eight. They secured a 2016 Olympic quota for New Zealand after winning silver at the world championships in 2015, however, they were not selected to compete in the pair at the Games in Rio de Janeiro, but did feature in the women's eight. Prendergast said missing out on selection in the pair in Rio was one of the biggest disappointments of their partnership. "It did feel like everything just came tumbling down. We looked back at that year [2016] and saw the things that we tripped up on - we put our seats up for grabs, almost. I think we've taken a lot from that into this four years [2020 Olympic cycle]. As gutted as we were at the time, I think it will help us to be more successful," Prendergast said. Gowler says she enjoys racing in the pair and eight boat. "The pair is more technical and you have to work together a lot. The race is also slower. But I also enjoy the eight, it is so intense and fast. And you have to work together with all eight girls. It's nice to go from the pair to the eight, although the coxswain might wear off a little bit." (worldrowing.com, 13 Feb 2020; worldrowing.com, 01 Apr 2019; nzherald.co.nz, 09 Sep 2018; newsroom.co.nz, 15 Aug 2018)

DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES
In her first year rowing the pair with Grace Prendergast in 2014, they won gold at both the U23 world championships in Italy and the senior world championships in the Netherlands. Off the water, they are two different personalities. Prendergast describes herself as naturally calm and quiet. "Whereas I am literally the opposite," says Gowler. "I like to say how I'm feeling rather than hold it back. Being different has helped us. We both have different strengths and weaknesses. We both have the same approach to training and racing and are usually on the same page with how the boat is feeling and how we want to row. But I would say that I am a bit more fiery in the boat, whereas Grace is a bit calmer." (nzherald.co.nz, 09 Sep 2018; newsroom.co.nz, 15 Aug 2018; worldrowing.com, 08 Mar 2018)

At the 2015 World Championships in Aiguebelette, France, she helped secure a 2016 Olympic quota spot for New Zealand in the women's eight. It was the first time in history that New Zealand had qualified a women's eight boat for an Olympic Games. (nzherald.co.nz, 07 Sep 2015; rowingnz.kiwi, 20 Jun 2018)