She lives on the other side of the world from Genoa, but once again, Emma Twigg didn’t miss the chance to return to Italy. The New Zealand athlete, gold medalist in Tokyo and silver medalist in Paris in single sculls rowing, is now gliding through the waters of Genoa for the Beach Sprint World Finals.

“I love Italy, I’ve come here many times for rowing”, she says. “I really like the people and the culture, and the food is amazing”.

Beach Sprint is a discipline with many variables. “It’s like training for a triathlon because you have to run, row, and there could be calm or rough seas”, explains Twigg. “There are many challenges, and I think you also need a bit of luck, but it’s a lot of fun. That’s why we’re all here”.

In Genoa, Emma Twigg is also reunited with a friend with whom she shared one of her favorite memories from the Olympics. “I have many wonderful memories, but sharing the podium with a great friend like Karolien Florijn was special. Paris was a great Olympic experience”.