Anna Hemmings

Anna Hemmings, Britain’s leading female marathon canoeist, current World Champion was told by medical experts she might never race again.

In 2005 however, she signalled a miraculous return to fitness by regaining her status as the World’s leading marathon canoeist at the Marathon Racing World Championships in Perth, Australia.

Anna first broke into the top flight of the sport in 1997 when, at the age of just 20, she won the European Championship. In 1999 she successfully defended her European crown, before going on to win the Marathon World Championships – becoming the youngest ever competitor to do so.

She also became the first ever British female canoeist to win both European and World titles.

Anna has won a total of 11 World and European Championship medals, 9 of them being gold.