{{Short description|British rower}} {{Use British English|date=October 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}} {{Infobox sportsperson | headercolor = lightsteelblue | name = Beth Rodford | image = Beth Rodford (cropped).jpg | image_size = <!--Only for images narrower than 220 pixels.--> | caption = | birth_name = | fullname = | nickname = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | nationality = | residence = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|12|28}} | birth_place = Burton-upon-Trent, England | death_date = | death_place = | height = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | weight = <!-- {{convert|}} (yyyy) --> | website = <!-- {{URL|www.example.com}} --> | country = | sport = | disability = | disability_class = | rank = | event = | collegeteam = | universityteam = | club = | team = | turnedpro = | partner = | former_partner = | coach = | retired = | coaching = | worlds = | regionals = | nationals = | olympics = 2008 Summer Olympics<br />2012 Summer Olympics | paralympics = | highestranking = | pb = | medaltemplates = {{MedalCountry | {{GBR2}} }} {{MedalCompetition | World Rowing Championships }} {{MedalGold | 2010 Karapiro | Women's quad }} | show-medals = yes }}
'''Beth Rodford''' (born 28 December 1982) is a British rower. Rodford participated in two Olympic games, 2008 Summer in Beijing and 2012 Summer in London. At Beijing, she finished in fifth place in the Women's Eight. In 2012 at London, she finished in sixth position in the quadruple sculls. She announced her retirement from international rowing on 16 December 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.britishrowing.org/news/2015/december/16/rodford-calls-time-her-rowing-career |title=Rodford calls time on her rowing career |publisher=British Rowing |date=16 December 2015 |accessdate=16 December 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219233417/http://www.britishrowing.org/news/2015/december/16/rodford-calls-time-her-rowing-career |archivedate=19 December 2015 }}</ref>
==Biography== [[File:Rowing at the 2012 Summer Olympics 9174 W quadruple sculls heat2 GBR NZL.jpg|thumb|right|350px|Quadruple scull of Great Britain (including Beth Rodford) at the 2012 Summer Olympics]] Rodford was born in Burton-upon-Trent.<ref name="rowingone" /> Rodford currently lives in Gloucestershire.<ref name="thisisgloucestershire1">{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Success-Olympians-celebrated/story-17079133-detail/story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505144536/http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Success-Olympians-celebrated/story-17079133-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Success of Olympians celebrated |publisher=This is Gloucestershire |date=13 October 2012 |accessdate=1 November 2012 }}</ref> She is a student, and is studying Sports Science at Brunel University in London, UK.<ref name="london2012">{{cite web |url=http://www.london2012.com/athlete/rodford-beth-1083114/ |title=Beth Rodford |website=London2012.com |publisher=London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |year=2012 |accessdate=1 November 2012 |archive-date=31 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121031090804/http://www.london2012.com/athlete/rodford-beth-1083114/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Rodford is {{convert|77|kg|abbr=off}} in weight, and is {{convert|178|cm|abbr=off}} tall.<ref name="rowingone">{{cite web |url=http://www.rowingone.com/n_bio_rower.fwx?no_id=12982 |title=Beth Rodford |website=RowingOne.com |publisher=World Rowing |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326001211/http://www.rowingone.com/n_bio_rower.fwx?no_id=12982 |archive-date=2012-03-26}}</ref>
==Rowing== Rodford started rowing in 1995.<ref name="rowingone" /> She began rowing when in secondary school, and despite initial difficulties kept going and was first selected to represent Britain in 1999, winning a bronze medal in the coxless four at the World Rowing Junior Championships.<ref name=Telegraph8662433>{{cite web |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/Team-GB/competitors/8662433/Beth-Rodford-Team-GB-London-2012-Olympics.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120613034003/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/Team-GB/competitors/8662433/Beth-Rodford-Team-GB-London-2012-Olympics.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 June 2012 |title=Beth Rodford |work=The Telegraph |accessdate=29 November 2012}}</ref> She currently trains with the Gloucester Rowing Club (Gloucester RC). She is classed as an official coach and rower. Rodford is trained by six people; Adrian Roberts (Ade Roberts), Cath Pollard, Gary Stubbs, John Keogh, Mark Pollard and Ron Needs.<ref name="rowingone" /> She holds the British indoor record over 2000 metres at J13, J14, J15, and J16.<ref name="rowingone" /> For much of her career Rodford rowed in a Quadruple scull (quad scull; W4x) rowing boat,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.teamgb.com/athletes/beth-rodford |title=Beth Rodford |publisher=Team GB |accessdate=1 November 2012}}</ref> and participated in the Women's Quadruple Sculls event,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/runcorn-widnes-sport/other-sports/2012/11/01/street-finds-right-road-on-thames-55368-32138047/ |title=Street finds right road on Thames |publisher=Runcorn & Widnes Weekly News |date=1 November 2012 |accessdate=1 November 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403145127/http://www.runcornandwidnesweeklynews.co.uk/runcorn-widnes-sport/other-sports/2012/11/01/street-finds-right-road-on-thames-55368-32138047/ |archivedate= 3 April 2013 }}</ref> and the Women's Eight.<ref name="britishrowing1" /> Rodford received Lottery Funding from UK Sport.<ref name="britishrowing1" />
Rodford participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics and finished in fifth place in the Women's Eight.<ref name="britishrowing1" /><ref>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/beth-rodford-1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418040300/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ro/beth-rodford-1.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2020-04-18}}</ref> She won the gold medal in women's quadruple sculls at the 2010 World Rowing Championships. In the 2011 World Cup series she won silver and gold medals.<ref name=Telegraph8662433 /> At the 2012 Summer Olympics held in London, she finished in sixth position with Team GB in the W4x class, with a final time of 06:51.54.<ref name="rowingone" /><ref name="britishrowing1">{{cite web |url=http://www.britishrowing.org/gb-rowing-team/biographies/beth-rodford |title=Beth Rodford | Biographies |publisher=British Rowing |date=28 December 1982 |accessdate=1 November 2012}}</ref> She was "off colour" throughout the 2012 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Rowing-paid-heavy-price-mistakes-Beth-Rodford/story-16632381-detail/story.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130505074854/http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/Rowing-paid-heavy-price-mistakes-Beth-Rodford/story-16632381-detail/story.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 May 2013 |title=Rowing: We paid heavy price for mistakes – Beth Rodford |publisher=This is Gloucestershire |date=2 August 2012 |accessdate=1 November 2012 }}</ref> In the 2012 World cup competitions she raced in the women's quadruple scull. In Belgrade and Munich the team won bronze medals. In Lucerne they finished in fifth place.<ref name="britishrowing1" />
===2014=== On 17 March 2014 Rodford was part of the composite crew that won the Women's Eights Head of the River Race on the River Thames in London, setting a record time of 17:42.2 for the 4 1⁄4-mile (6.8 km) Championship Course from Mortlake to Putney. The crew comprised Heather Stanning – Army RC; Beth Rodford – Gloucester RC; Zoe Lee – Imperial College BC; Jessica Eddie – London RC; Helen Glover – Minerva Bath Rowing Club; Olivia Carnegie-Brown – Oxford Brookes University BC; Tina Stiller – Tees RC; Caragh McMurtry – Reading University BC; cox Phelan Hill – Leander Club.<ref name="2014 Head">[http://www.wehorr.org/results.htm Women's Eights Head of the River Race, Official Results Archive. 2014 results] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130815011837/http://www.wehorr.org/results.htm |date=15 August 2013 }}</ref>
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{World Rowing}} * {{Team GB}} * {{Olympics.com profile|org_archive=20161005172959}} * {{Olympedia}}
{{World champions – Women's quadruple sculls}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodford, Beth}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:British female rowers Category:English female rowers Category:Olympic rowers for Great Britain Category:Rowers at the 2008 Summer Olympics Category:Rowers at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:World Rowing Championships medalists for Great Britain Category:Sportspeople from Burton upon Trent Category:Alumni of Brunel University London Category:21st-century English sportswomen