Page 394 - They Also Served

medals. In the New Year’s Honours List following the games, she was awarded the MBE.
After the London Olympics, she returned to her regiment and completed a tour in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2013. Returning to rowing and partnered again with Helen Glover, they both commented that being apart and facing new challenges had made them a stronger pairing. Sure enough, they retained their world title in 2014, and 2015, also adding the European title along the way. Once again, they peaked at just the right time, and it was no surprise that they retained their Olympic title at the 2016 games held in Rio de Janeiro. Immediately after the games Stanning announced her decision to retire to concentrate on her army career. She was awarded an OBE in the next New Year’s Honours List.
The army has a history of losing its best sporting stars due to the difficulty of managing a career with the training regime needed to remain at the peak of any sport. After losing the likes of Kriss Akabusi, Kelly Holmes and Josh Lewsey, the army and the individual at last found a perfect balance. In the 2003 school yearbook at Gordonstoun, Heather Stanning was voted the person most likely to win an Olympic gold medal.
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