Former Plewlands House girl, Heather Stanning, along with her rowing partner, Helen Glover, have become the first athletes to win a gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games for Team GB.
We are all so incredibly proud of Heather's achievements since leaving Gordonstoun in 2003. As an Army Scholar, both at school and university, her rowing skills were first spotted at the University of Bath where she embarked on a degree in Sports Technology and joined the University Boat Club. Although at first only rowing socially, Heather was quickly spotted by Paul Stannard, a GB Rowing talent ID coach based at the university and she was invited to join his training group. The next two years were spent juggling university, rowing training and the UOTC (University Officer Training Corps). After graduating from university in 2007 Heather, along with her brother, Martin, started her commissioning course at Sandhurst and threw herself into military training for the next 18 months, with rowing taking a back seat.
However after watching the 2008 Beijing Olympics Heather decided that perhaps she hadn't quite fulfilled her potential in rowing and that she could challenge herself a bit more. With the support of the Army, Heather trialed for the British Rowing Team in 2009 as part of the Development Squad and eventually made the Senior Squad with Pairs partner, Helen Glover, in 2010.
The now famous duo of Heather and Helen went on to win Silver at the World Championships in New Zealand in 2010, and again in 2011 in Bled, then Gold at the 2011 Rowing World Cup in Switzerland before winning the 2012 World Cup Series earlier this year.
Heather's focus has however always been on London 2012 and with a comfortable win in the heats on Saturday, Heather and Helen were the favourites to win the finals and scoop the Gold for Britain.
The pair dominated the race from the very start and were the clear winners. The smiles on their faces at the end said it all – WELL DONE!
At Gordonstoun Heather shone as an all-rounder from an early age. She was a natural athlete, captaining the Hockey 1st XI and the Athletics Team and being selected for the Under 18 Highland Hockey Squad. She was also Captain of the School's Fire Service and had the greatest honour bestowed on her when she was made Guardian (Head Girl) in her last year here.
Principal Simon Reid said:
"The whole Gordonstoun community is so excited at this news. Heather has achieved at the highest level in her chosen sport and I am immensely proud of her. To be chosen to represent your country is a huge achievement in itself but to win a gold medal is the icing on the cake. With our new sports complex due for completion later this year, I have no doubt her example will inspire our students to make full use of it."