Thirteen years ago, Great British rower Lola Anderson (third right) wrote down her dream of winning a gold medal at the Olympics. Then she threw the note away.
Anderson, 26, had forgotten about it but her father, Don, never did. Don kept the paper and gave it back to Lola in 2019, months before he died of cancer, reminding Anderson of her 13-year-old self’s dream.
“My name is Lola Anderson and I think it would be my biggest dream in life to go to the Olympics and represent Team GB in rowing and, if possible, win a gold medal,” she wrote after watching the London Games in 2012, per Olympics.com.
On Wednesday morning, Anderson achieved that dream by winning a gold medal in the women’s quadruple sculls.
“I know that (my dad) would be so, so proud,” an emotional Anderson told BBC Sport after the win. “I’m thinking a lot about him right now. It’s really lovely.”
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Great Britain’s Lola Anderson tearfully recalls note saved by late father about winning Olympic gold