PRENDERGAST Grace

General
MISSING OUT ON PAIRS IN RIO
She began rowing in the women's coxless pair with Kerri Gowler 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 pairs selection 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." (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 Kerri Gowler in 2014, they won gold at both the U23 world championships in Italy and the senior world championships in the Netherlands. Prendergast says the two just happened to "click, as soon as we jumped into a pair together. We probably don't row a textbook stroke, but have found something that works for us as a combination and focus on refining that as opposed to being 'technically perfect'." Off the water, however, she says they are two different personalities. "One of the main differences would probably be our temperament. I'm naturally quite a calm person and don't give away a lot. Kerri is able to get us up and going, but I've got enough coolness to make sure we don't take it too far, to control it once we get there." (nzherald.co.nz, 09 Sep 2018; newsroom.co.nz, 15 Aug 2018; worldrowing.com, 08 Mar 2018)

FURTHER STUDIES
After completing a bachelor's degree in business she began a master's degree in the same subject. (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)