Leah Saunders
Sydney Rowing Club (NSW)
Leah Saunders, a talented rower from New South Wales and Sydney Rowing Club, has built a career marked by determination, versatility, and a passion for the sport. Whether she’s powering through in the quad scull, leading the women’s eight, or representing Australia on the world stage, Leah has proven time and again that she’s a rower to watch.
Getting Started (2011-2012)
Leah’s journey in rowing began with promising results early on. In 2011, she made her mark internationally by competing in the Junior World Championships as part of the Junior Women’s Quad Scull. As the stroke of the boat, Leah and her teammates finished 10th, a solid result for her first international competition. While not at the top of the standings, this experience helped set the foundation for Leah’s future in the sport.
The following year, Leah found success at the 2012 Interstate Women’s Youth Eight Championship with Sydney Rowing Club. Sitting in the three seat, she helped her team take home the gold, claiming a First place finish. This was the first of many national victories that would solidify Leah as one of Australia’s rising rowing stars.
A Breakout Year (2013-2014)
Leah’s career really started to gain traction in 2013. At the National Championships, she took home the First-place finish in the U23 Women’s Single Scull, a huge achievement for a young rower. That same year, she raced in the Interstate Women’s Youth Eight Championship, where she took the four seat and helped her team win First once again, showcasing her consistency in both sweep and sculling events.
2013 winning NSW Women's Youth Eight
Leah continued her momentum in 2014. She was a key part of the winning Open Women’s Quad Scull at the National Championships, taking the three seat to help secure another First place. In the same competition, she also won the U23 Women’s Double Scull as the stroke, demonstrating her adaptability and skill in different boat classes. Leah also helped her Interstate Women’s Eight team to a Sixth place finish, and at the U23 World Championships, she was part of the Women’s Quad Scull, finishing Eighth. While the U23 World result wasn’t as high as she had hoped, Leah’s experience racing internationally continued to pay dividends as she kept improving each year.
International Recognition and Continued Success (2015-2017)
By 2015, Leah was firmly on the map as one of Australia’s top rowers. She clinched First place finishes in both the U23 Women’s Double Scull and the U23 Women’s Quad Scull at the National Championships. That same year, at the U23 World Championships, Leah and her teammates secured a Silver medal in the Women’s Quad Scull, marking her first international medal and a major career milestone.
Leah’s talent didn’t go unnoticed in the senior ranks either. At the 2016 Interstate Women’s Eight Championship, she earned a Third place finish in the six seat. The following year, in 2017, Leah had a standout year. She raced in the Women’s Quad Scull at the World Cups II and III, securing a Second and Third place finish respectively. At the World Championships that year, her Women’s Quad Scull team earned a Sixth place finish, proving her consistent presence in international competition.
World Championship Glory (2018-2019)
Leah’s breakthrough moment came in 2018, when she made her mark in the Women’s Eight. At the Interstate Women’s Eight Championship, Leah’s team finished Second, but she and her teammates came back strong that year. At the World Cup II, they earned a Third place finish, and they finished Fifth at World Cup III. But the highlight of the year came at the World Championships, where Leah and the team finished with a Bronze medal in the Women’s Eight, securing her place as one of the best rowers in the world.
2019 continued Leah’s success. At the Interstate Women’s Eight Championship, her team took First, and she raced in the Women’s Eight at both World Cup II and World Cup III, finishing in the First and Second spots, respectively. Her performance at the World Championships was another standout moment, with Leah and the Women’s Eight winning the Silver medal, solidifying her position among the elite in the rowing world.
2019 WC3 silver medal
Legacy and Looking Ahead
Leah Saunders’ career has been a journey of continuous growth, international experience, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. From her early days racing in the Junior World Championships to her impressive World Cup performances and podium finishes at World Championships, Leah has become a fixture in Australian rowing. Her versatility, ability to thrive in multiple boat classes, and impressive consistency over the years have made her one of the most respected athletes in the sport.
Some rowing highlights
2011 – Junior World Championships Junior Women’s Quad Scull stroke – Tenth
2012 – Interstate Women’s Youth Eight Championship three seat – First
2013 – National Championships U23 Women’s Single Scull – First
2013 – Interstate Women’s Youth Eight Championship four seat – First
2014 – National Championships Open Women’s Quad Scull three seat – First
2014 – National Championships U23 Women’s Double Scull stroke – First
2014 – Interstate Women’s Eight Championship six seat – Sixth
2014 – U23 World Championships U23 Women’s Quad Scull stroke – Eighth
2015 – National Championships U23 Women’s Double Scull bow – First
2015 – National Championships U23 Women’s Quad Scull stroke – First
2015 – Interstate Women’s Eight Championship two seat – Fourth
2015 – U23 World Championships U23 Women’s Quad Scull bow – Silver
2016 – Interstate Women’s Eight Championship six seat – Third
2017 – Interstate Women’s Eight Championship seven seat – Second
2017 – World Cup II Women’s Quad Scull bow – Second
2017 – World Cup III Women’s Quad Scull bow – Third
2017 – World Championships Women’s Quad Scull bow – Sixth
2018 – Interstate Women’s Eight Championship seven seat – Second
2018 – World Cup II Women’s Eight bow – Third
2018 – World Cup III Women’s Eight bow – Fifth
2018 – World Championships Women’s Eight bow – Bronze
2019 – Interstate Women’s Eight Championship six seat – First
2019 – World Cup II Women’s Eight bow – First
2019 – World Cup III Women’s Eight bow – Second
2019 – World Championships Women’s Eight bow – Silver
Rowing Australia’s profile of Leah extracted on the 12th October 2020 advised:
Leah Saunders joined the Hancock Prospecting Women's National Training Centre at the end of 2016. The New South Welshwoman works in Paediatric Occupational Therapy and in 2015 was part of the Australian U23 Women's Quadruple Scull that won a silver medal at the World Rowing U23 Championships. In 2017, Saunders was named in the Women's Quadruple Scull alongside Genevieve Horton, Rowena Meredith and Caitlin Cronin. The crew won medals at both World Rowing Cup 2 and 3. In 2018, Saunders made the switch to sweep rowing and was selected in the Women's Eight for World Rowing Cups 2 and 3 and World Rowing Championships.
Originally compiled by Patrick Boomer October 2020
Rewritten by Jack Hargreaves April 2025
Sources
https://rowingaustralia.com.au/athleteprofile/leah-saunders/
http://www.worldrowing.com/athletes/athlete/42338/results/saunders-leah
ra.rowingmanager.com