“If you find something that really sparks your passion and your joy, then don’t listen to anyone else. Just go on your own path and do what you enjoy.”
8 March marks International Women’s Day – a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
To celebrate the day, we spoke with Tokyo Canoe Sprint Olympian Deborah Kerr about her journey into paddling, what sparked her interest in elite sport, and inspiring women and girls to also follow their sporting passions.
Starting out aged 11, Deborah first started paddling through an initiative up in her hometown of Motherwell, first through recreational sessions at Strathclyde Park, before discovering the additional opportunities the sport had to offer.
“I started paddling at Strathclyde Park, and they just wanted more people to use the water. I started as a recreational paddler. I was falling in a lot.
“Once I got more confident, I enjoyed being around all the people in the sessions. My brother was there as well, so it was a really fun and great environment to be part of.
“When I first got into kayaking, I didn’t initially see myself becoming a professional paddler, but when I saw the racing side of it and getting from A to B as fast as you can, that’s when it really sparked my interest.
“I like going fast, and that is what I still like to do. That’s what ignited my passion for the sport.”
After getting into the racing side of the sport, Deborah rose quickly through the ranks before qualifying for the Olympic Hopes regatta in 2012.
“I started with a bit of marathon racing, but then sprints came into the foreground and we started racing at Strathclyde Park with the race lanes and having a starter through a megaphone, it felt exciting. That’s the part I really started to enjoy.
“I felt so much pride building my way up the Olympic Hopes in 2012. It was a really exciting moment being with the rest of the British team and racing internationally.
“I had a really positive experience racing internationally, not necessarily always because of the results, but just the enjoyment of racing in general.
“I love the traveling, I love the working with the team and having that team camaraderie, and then it all culminated in 2015 as a junior when I won the two bronze medals. It was a really fun time to look back on.
“2021 is also ingrained into my memory. Coming back after working so hard during lockdown, racing and qualifying for my first Olympics at Tokyo 2020.
“It was just the best feeling ever. I felt unstoppable. It was everything that I could have wished for and more. Reaching my dreams of an Olympic Games is something I’ll never forget, the all-round experience was unreal.
“I hope I’ll be able to replicate that for LA2028, this time with my family and friends.”
Speaking on International Women’s Day, Deborah wants to inspire more women and girls to follow their passions in sport, whether that’s through elite sport, or recreationally.
“International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate what we have achieved, but it’s also a day to reflect on the progress that we’ve made.
“I’m really interested in participation when it comes to younger girls, those teenage years are really important for keeping girls in sport, whatever it is that they do.
“I believe you should follow your sporting passion and not worry what other people are saying.
“Canoeing is a smaller sport in this country and I remember being at school and people saying they’d never heard of it before. Everyone else was playing football or swimming. It could’ve deterred me.
“I believe if you find your passion and your joy, then you shouldn’t listen to what others are saying about it. Just go on your own path and do what you enjoy.”
“My former coach, Kristina, was imperative to me in the sport. She was always saying how much she believed in me and kept me going over the years.
“The girls I train with are also a huge influence. We go out there every day and those days where the weather isn’t great, it’s really important to have those women around me, strong women that have the same desire to work as hard as possible.”
“I’ve been really lucky. I have very supportive parents, and I had a really good group of friends who were super interested in my passion. That is so important for a young woman in sport so hopefully everyone can have that same experience.”