Olympic champion Sholto Carnegie pens a letter to his younger self. The Crew Connection co-founder and two-time Olympian made his international debut 12 years ago in Trakai, Lithuania. With the 2025 World Rowing Under 19 Championships in progress, Carnegie reflects on the lessons learnt since first pulling on a national team vest.

Photo Olympic champion Sholto Carnegie salutes the fans in the Nautical Stadium in Vaires-sur-Marnes, Paris, France.

Credit Benedict Tufnell

Dear 18-year-old Sholto,

You are about to race at your first world championships.

For five years you’ve dreamed about this moment. Dreamed of wearing the GB flag. Dreamed of the red, white and blue hoops on your chest, and of representing your country. You should be proud of this.

It’s a big moment in your life: the start of an exciting journey. Soak in the event and soak up the atmosphere, but don’t let the pressure of the occasion prevent you from doing your best. 

This is your future self – I’ve lived the journey and had the best time doing it, but there are a few things I wish I had known earlier. 

When you are on the start line, you are not alone. Everyone sitting across from you is feeling the same emotions. By being aware of this, you are already a bowball ahead. Don’t wish that moment away.

I know it feels like the pressure is crushing, but pressure is a privilege. It’s a sign you are doing something you care about. Not everyone has that in their lives. 

Seeing other nations can seem surreal. But the people you are racing against are normal people like you. Just because they have a national team vest on, don’t let that throw you. Stay confident. Don’t doubt yourself. 

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Find a way to harness the nerves and turn them into useful energy and excitement to race. As I progressed, I found having a hype up playlist a good way to get me in the zone and ready to race. 

The external forces of pressure are less than you might think. Everyone is proud of you already, so don’t think you need to do something special or different. Trust that the hard work and skills you have developed are enough. There’s no need to pull out a magic performance just because it is a world championships. Focus on delivering your job to the best of your ability, and that’s all anyone can ask. 

Don’t stack the hurdles. Don’t think about all the challenges race day presents in one go. It’s easy to get drawn into the future and think about what I’m going to be doing at the 1km, or how much it will hurt at the end of the race. This isn’t helpful and it takes you away from being present and focusing on what you can actually act on.

The best way I’ve stayed truly present is to break down each part of the day and think about completing each section to the best of my ability. This starts with brushing my teeth to the best of my ability, stretching in the morning to the best of my ability, eating breakfast to the best of my ability, focusing in the pre-paddle to the best of my ability, switching off to the best of my ability, doing my land warm up to the best of my ability, and so on.

By breaking the day down in this way and nailing each task I stay very focused and don’t let the pressure of the day get to me. Before I know it I’m in the last 250m totally dialled into completing those strokes to the highest standard. By the end of the day you will have done the best job you can and not let nerves distract you or worry you about future outcomes beyond your immediate control.

Photo Sholto Carnegie celebrates winning his Olympic M8+ gold medal in Paris, France.

Credit Benedict Tufnell

Look around you, these people will be a big part of your life, so be kind, be supportive and enjoy spending time with this group. This experience is ultimately for you, so just focus on what you can control and channel that corridor of excellence.

As cliché as it may sound the journey is the best part. Perhaps that’s easy to say having won an Olympic gold, but looking back if I could swap places with you and live it all again, I would in a heartbeat.

It will be a hard and stressful journey and you’ll have to overcome failure, doubt and disappointment, but you’ll learn so much along the way and meet many amazing people.

This sport will give you more than you can imagine, so pump your chest out and smile. Enjoy it!

Good luck,

Sholto

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