Even more than four weeks since her Olympic gold medal triumph, Katherine’s feet still haven’t touched the ground.
The immediate aftermath of her race was a hectic round of media conferences and other interviews that lasted for days.
In the second week of the Games she attended a special Edinburgh University graduation ceremony in London where Edson Arantes do Nascimento- better known as Pele – was awarded an honorary doctorate. Among the other famous people she met, after the false-start of just a voicemail message from him, she finally got to meet up with David Beckham on the BBC couch , although the latest news is that Katherine’ mum is still waiting for the chance to interrogate him in person as potential son-in-law material.
To go with all that, she was a panellist on a special Olympic “Question of Sport “ programme (emerging on the winning team despite getting a rowing question wrong!), and Anna and Katherine both tried their skills at cooking and stunt fighting on the Channel 4 Sunday Brunch programme.
Various other appearances are happening all the time, including the ‘Our Greatest Team’ Parade through the streets of London, a homecoming to Scotland for the national Olympic and Paralympic Scottish athletes in Glasgow, followed by another civic parade in Aberdeen, an area where the Grainger family has strong connections.
Among all this, she took time to go back to Eton Dorney to support the British Paralympic rowing team.
Katherine says, “It’s all been a whirlwind, but great fun. Everywhere I go, complete strangers are coming up to congratulate Anna and myself and wish us both well. I’m just delighted that what we achieved seems to have touched so many people, and I thank everyone for their unbelievable support. Wonderful messages are still coming in weeks after our race and even after so many other great British sporting achievements that have happened since we won”.
“It has meant so much to be part of something incredibly special and I’m glad we can share it with everyone (I’m just sorry I haven’t managed to reply to everyone yet!). Both the Olympics and the Paralympics have ignited a fantastic positive spark across the country and it continues to excite and inspire people. I hope it continues to do so for a long time to come”.