Tara Rigney

NSW | Sydney University Boat Club

Tara Rigney was always an active child growing up in Sydney. Tara excelled in netball, playing for the U19 state team in 2016 and 2017.

Despite enduring two severe ACL injuries, which initially seemed like setbacks, these challenges ultimately led her to discover a new passion for rowing. This transition marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter in her sporting career.

Identified by the NSW Institute of Sport as a crucial development prospect, Tara’s potential on the world stage was realised in 2021 when she was invited to join the women's national training centre at Penrith, NSW.

That same year, she made her Olympic debut in the women’s double scull at the Tokyo Olympics.

Alongside fellow debutant Amanda Bateman, she advanced to the semi-final after a third-place finish in their heat. In the semi-final, they were strong contenders for the first half of the race, competing with Canada, USA, the Netherlands and France for a spot in the final.

Although Australia finished fifth and did not advance, they won their B-Final and recorded an overall result of seventh at their first Olympic appearance.

2021 also saw Tara achieve success by becoming the national champion in both the women's single scull and women's double scull. She won the prestigious Nell Slater Cup in the women's single scull, showcasing her individual strength and skill.
Additionally, her performance in the women's double scull solidified her status as a versatile and formidable rower on the national stage.

As a single scull entrant, Tara won bronze at the 2022 World Rowing Cup II in Poznan and then took silver at World Cup III in Lucerne. At the 2022 World Rowing Championships in Racize, she raced as Australia's representative single sculler. She qualified for the A-Final and came away with a bronze medal at the World Championships.

In 2023, Tara secured her second national crown in the single scull, won silver at World Cup III, and was a finalist in the Princess Grace Cup.

2024 has seen Tara win her third single scull national crown with an emphatic win at the Sydney International Regatta Centre in Penrith. Tara claimed the win with a 13-second lead on Olympic quad sculls bronze medallist Ria Thompson.

Tara has set her sights on the Olympics in Paris with a strong performance at World Rowing Cup II in Lucerne, Switzerland. She won a superb silver medal in the women’s single scull, challenging Dutch world champion Karolien Florijn. Coached by Ellen Randell, Tara showed she is a genuine contender for victory in Paris.

Tara is also dedicated to her academic pursuits, currently studying for a Bachelor of Commerce at the University of Sydney which she would like to pursue following her sporting endeavours.