Trailblazer in British Rowing: Louise Kingsley Awarded MBE

Congratulations to Louise Kingsley, Class of 1984 for receiving an MBE in the King's New Year Honours List. As Louise was one of the first instigators of the LEH rowing club, who worked very hard to forge a partnership with Hampton Boat Club, we know so many of you will be very pleased to see that Louise went on to create such a fantastic career in the sport.

Louise exclusively spoke to Holles Connect and happily stated,

'"I feel very humbled to have been honoured in this way and think of it as recognition of the hard work and dedication that goes into the GB Rowing Team from all of staff, athletes and volunteers. Rowing is an incredible team sport and I am in a very privileged position having been introduced to it whilst a pupil at LEH and now being able to lead the World Class Programme."

Louise is the first woman to lead British Rowing’s Performance programme since the introduction of Lottery funding in 1997. With over 20 years in the sport, she has shaped British rowing from the ground up – beginning as a successful coach before going on to lead the performance pathway and Paralympic programme. 

She has served as Team Leader for the GB Rowing Team’s para squad at four Paralympic Games: Beijing 2008, London 2012, Rio 2016 and the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games. Her leadership reached new heights at Paris 2024, where the GB Rowing Team delivered its most successful Olympic Games ever by number of medallists, with 36 of 42 athletes winning medals, the team’s best overseas Olympic performance. At the Paralympics, Great Britain topped the para rowing medal table with three golds and one silver, marking its strongest Paralympic rowing campaign to date. 

Earlier in her career, Louise coached GB’s first-ever junior women’s crew in the World Championship in 1993 and joined the GB Rowing Team in 1997, later coaching at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. In recognition of her outstanding contribution to sport, she was awarded an MBE in the King’s Honours in 2026. 

Driven by seeing others progress and exceed their own expectations, Louise remains a lifelong sportswoman and accomplished archer. Away from work, she enjoys an active life, often walking her much-loved labrador along the riverbank, and is also a Non-Executive Director at British Shooting.

We know that the students who take part in rowing at school will certainly be looking up to Louise with hope and inspiration for where rowing could take them!