Video by Caroline Routh
Graphic by Olivia Goodson
LEAD: In just three years, Kristen Siermachesky did what most athletes spend their whole lives working toward. So, how did this brand new rower find her way to the silver medal winning team at the Olympics? Caroline Routh has the story.
TRACK 1: Kristen Siermachsky has always dreamed of athletic greatness.
KRISTEN SOT 1: “As a kid… I remember having a post-it note with the Olympic rings on my wall.”
TRACK 1: Her parents were both professional athletes, and growing up in Canada, Siermachesky quickly found her sport: hockey. She played collegiately at Syracuse all four years and ended her hockey career as captain.
STANDUP: But that’s not where her story ends. Siermachesky came down to Chapel Hill to pursue a Masters in Sports Administration here at UNC.
KRISTEN SOT 2: “My hockey coach made a joke to me at the time at Syracuse, and said ‘why don’t you try rowing if you’re done with hockey’”
TRACK 1: She still had a year of athletic eligibility left, so she tried it.
ERIN SOT 1: “She right off the bat just had the stuff, the intangibles. She’s an incredibly gifted natural blessed athlete. Her mindset is fantastic. Her attitude is fantastic. She’s the hardest working, MOST unflappable athlete I’d ever coached at that point.”
TRACK 1: Senior Captain Claudia Quintaba agrees.
CLAUDIA SOT 1: “She came in as a walk-on my freshman year, so we kinda came in together. I will never forget we were doing a 30 minute test piece on the ERG, and they sat me next to her because they ordered us by speed. And she started out super super fast, and I was like oh she’s not going to make it through that, and she did, and went way faster. And like from that moment on, I was like this girl is going to do some amazing things.”
TRACK 1: Siermachesky was the ACC Newcomer of the year, and head coach Erin Neppel knew Siermachesky was ready for more. She called up the Canadian national team and introduced them to her rookie rower. Siermachesky paused her masters program at UNC and returned to Canada to train and become a master of her new sport instead. Two years later Siermachesky was invited to serve as a spare for Canada at the Paris Olympics.
ERIN SOT 2: “If you know a lot about rowing and how long it takes these people at the Olympics to get to that level, it’s a lot longer than 3 years.”
TRACK 1: But Siermachesky isn’t done yet.
KRISTEN SOT 3: “Don’t get me wrong, I do want it to be different next time. I want to be in the boat when we win the medal, but like I said I still got that full Olympic experience and I wouldn’t change it for anything.”
TRACK 1: But now she’s back in Chapel Hill working to uplift the rowing program at UNC as an assistant coach, and defy expectations as she chases her insatiable passion for athletic greatness.
TRACK 1: I’m Caroline Routh, reporting.
TAG: Siermachesky’s competitive drive and pursuit of excellence will have us all keep our eyes out for the Tar Heel team this spring and for Team Canada at LA 2028.
Lowers:
Kristen Siermachesky (Olympic Rower)
Erin Neppel (UNC Head Rowing Coach)
Claudia Quintaba (UNC Rowing Captain)
