Olympia Aldersey

SA | Adelaide Rowing Club

Born during the Opening Ceremony of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, her parents named her Olympia and at age 15 she took up rowing in the hope that the sport would see her achieve her Olympic dreams.

Aldersey competed at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games where she won silver with Emma Basher in the women’s pair. Also in 2010 she took bronze at the Junior World Championships in the women’s four. Two years later, Aldersey was crowned as an U23 World Champion in the women’s quad sculls. Still in the quad sculls, Aldersey had podium finishes at all three World Cups in 2013.

In 2014, she joined with veteran Sally Kehoe in the double sculls. In the semi-final of the 2014 World Championships, Aldersey and Kehoe posted the world’s fastest time in the double sculls - 06:37.310. They went on to place third in the final and take home the bronze medal. The pair also won gold at the Sydney and Aiguebelette World Cups in 2014.

Aldersey is studying a double degree in Law and Health Science at Adelaide University. In 2016, Aldersey competed at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in the Women's Eight, while also acting as the women's sculling reserve. In 2017, she was joined the Hancock Prospecting Women's NTC and was named in the Women's Double Scull for World Rowing Cups 2 and 3 and World Rowing Championships with Maddie Edmunds. The duo went on to win bronze at the 2017 World Rowing Championships in Florida. In 2018, Aldersey was selected into the Women's Quadruple Scull to race at the World Rowing Cups 2 and 3 and the World Rowing Championships.

In 2019, Aldersey made the switch from scull to sweep rowing - winning medals at the two World Rowing Cups and being crowned World Rowing Champion is the Women's Four.

Aldersey was selected to row in the Women’s Eight for the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.  The crew made the A-final and finished in 5^th place.

After not featuring in any international tournaments in 2022, Olympia returned in 2023 strongly, finishing with a gold and bronze medal across World Rowing Cups II and III. At the World Rowing Championships the same year, Olympia finished third in the women's eight.