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Susan Francia: Twice Olympic gold medalist, Five times World Champion in Rowing talks about her Workout, Diet, Modeling and Success

Susan Francia won in rowing Olympic Gold at London in 2012 and also at Beijing in 2008. She won gold five times at FISA World Rowing Championships and also twice Gold in Wold cup.

Susan Francia was born on 8th November 1982 in Szeged, Hungary. She is an American rower. Growing up in Abington, Pennsylvania, she attended Abington Senior High School, followed by the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 2004 with a bachelors and a masters degree in Criminology and Sociology. She currently resides in Princeton, New Jersey and is affiliated with the US Training Center. She is fluent in Hungarian.

Susan began rowing as a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania in 2001. She was a Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association Division I All-American at the University of Pennsylvania in 2004. Since graduating she has served nine years as a U.S. National Team member and won a Gold Medal with the 2012 Olympic Team in London, England and in 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing, China.

Susan has been an integral part of the increasingly fast and competitive US Women's National Teams in the past several years. She has aided the US team to achieve remarkable success with many medals and high ranking finishes at the highest level competitions. In addition to her World Championship and World Cup successes, Susan won the Remenham Cup at the 2011 and 2006 Henley Royal Regatta. At the FISA World Rowing Championships in 2006, Francia won the gold medal in the women's eight with a new world's best time of 5:55.50.

In addition to her international accomplishments Susan has also had much domestic success. She won the second National Selection Regatta in the pair in 2011, and all three National Selection Regattas in 2010. She finished second in the pair at the second 2008 National Selection Regatta. She won the championship eight at the 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, and 2012 Head of the Charles Regatta in Cambridge, Mass. Won the eight and finished third in the pair at the 2007 US Rowing National Championships. Won the double sculls at the second 2006 National Selection Regatta and finished second in the four at the 2004 U.S. National Team Trials.
 

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She moved from Hungary to the US with her parents when she was 2 years old. Her parents are very tall and so it wasn't surprising that by the time she was in high school, she was 6�2�� with a relatively athletic frame. Needless to say, many coaches at her high school tried to recruit her to play almost every sport imaginable except gymnastics.

She tried her hands at various sports. She learned that sports were a great way to make friends and manage her time. Consequently, she left high school with a lot of friends and a great GPA. She decided to continue her education at the University of Pennsylvania in 2000. Even though Penn is the �social Ivy�, she knew that the courses and work load would be demanding, so, she decided that the best solution to this problem was to cut sports out of her schedule. Bad idea. After her first semester, her grades were struggling and her social life was getting a little tired.

After seeing recruiting flyers for the rowing team, she emailed the coach and began to row her sophomore a year. Something clicked with rowing. For the first time she didn't just have �potential,� she was actually excelling! By the end of her novice year of rowing, not only had she made a splash on the rowing team, but she made an incredible group of friends, and even made Dean�s list!

Throughout her years at Penn, she continued to do well with rowing and academics; She graduated in 4 years with a bachelor�s and a master�s degree in criminology, and earned All-American honors in rowing. After she graduated, she decided to decline job offers in pursuit of her Olympic dream. It was worth it... she has met some incredible people along the way, traveled all over the world and in 2008 she became an Olympic gold medalist!

After the Olympics in 2008, she wasn't sure about her future and whether she wanted to continue rowing. In the middle of job hunting, her coach sent out a boat to Chula Vista in case she decided she wanted to row again. On a whim, she decided to go out for a row. She couldn't have been any happier! Rowing is what she was meant to do.

She was so glad she had that epiphany because it led to a whole new series of adventures over the next 4 years. She challenged herself in the pair with her crew mate Erin Cafaro and won a World Championship gold and bronze.

In 2011 she went back into the 8+ after missing the speed and companionship of a big boat. Though they won, she struggled with some injuries including a herniated disc and a stress fracture on her rib. The year leading up to the Olympics was one of the most stressful years of her life but she was glad she struggled through it and fought hard to make the team. In the end it made her tougher and the Gold medal that they won at the Olympics in London that much sweeter.

Susan Francia is an exceptionally accomplished rowing champion two times Olympic gold medalist, five times world championship gold medalist and two times world cup gold medalist in conversation with Namita Nayyar President Women Fitness

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have selected a sport which is a team sport and requires a lot of cohesiveness and family feeling between the players of the side to finally succeed, How do you achieve that?

Ms. Susan Francia: It is important that we work side by side every day. Not every day is a good day for each individual but it�s good to see that they are there fighting. That way when you know that you are in a boat with them, you are fighting together to win. It also helps that we are all friends outside of rowing and like to be social.
 

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Ms. Namita Nayyar: What exercises comprise your fitness regime or workout routine you shall like to share?

Ms. Susan Francia: We do mostly workouts in the boat on the water. Everyday we row in smaller boats, pairs and singles. Some days we race each other and some days the intensity is lower. A few times a week we also lift weights, run, or go on the rowing machine.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Do you take some special diet or have a strict menu that you follow to remain healthy and physically fit ?

Ms. Susan Francia: I eat pretty healthy, colorful meals with lots of meat and vegetables. I really enjoy eating well, it makes my body feel better before and after workouts. I eat Peanut M&Ms sometimes, but only after a full meal! Otherwise I eat a lot of protein, like chicken and beef.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: Advice and motivational words to our inspiring and budding rowing girls who all are your fans shall like to know from you, what they should do for their climb to ladder of success in the field rowing?

Ms. Susan Francia: If you are passionate about something, work hard at it and see where you can take it. I feel very lucky that I love rowing and am somewhat talented at it. Of course I had to work very hard to make the transition to the Olympic team, but I loved the process.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: How did you feel before and after your memorable wins of gold at 2012 Olympic Team in London, England and in 2008 Olympic Team in Beijing, China?

Ms. Susan Francia: I felt very confident going into both of those races. I knew that I was prepared and that I had done everything that I could to get to that starting line. It�s funny, I almost didn't feel nervous because I was so confident. Of course in the race you have to put it all together and put out your best, but if you put in the hours beforehand, it makes it much easier. After the wins, it was a whirlwind of media. I loved meeting the other athletes at the Olympic Village and watching other sporting events. Of course the parties were fun too!

Ms. Namita Nayyar: It is known that you had injuries such as fractured ribs and herniated discs but with sheer determination against all odds returned to normal life again and started playing and wining. How you were able to overcome physical injuries and mental setback and what advice you can give to fellow sports person in a similar situation?

Ms. Susan Francia: It is very difficult to be injured. Not only are you in pain, but you are missing the time with your teammates and the training. The hardest part for me was staying positive. Luckily my teammates were supportive. And of course it is good to remember that the body heals itself and that eventually I would be back in training.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have won two Olympic gold medals, five World Championship and numerous other awards. How you remain so humble and lovable ? Success has not made you the least arrogant and proud which is mostly with all the celebrity stars?

Ms. Susan Francia: Haha! Thanks. Rowing is not that big of a media sport, so I am not really that famous. However, I do like to use my knowledge of the sport to coach high school students here in San Diego. I also enjoy working with rowing clubs on fundraisers. I feel very blessed that I am in the position that I am in to help others, especially in the rowing community.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have done bold photo shoots with ESPN the Magazine �The Body Issue�, how you are so body confident and advice to your compatriots?

Ms. Susan Francia: It took me a long time to become confident with my 188 cm height. Rowing and sports helped me a great deal with my body image issues. When I finally started rowing, it was a great advantage to be tall and as I continued to train, it was a great advantage to have muscles! Just be happy in your skin. If you aren't and you can change it, then do it.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You are world leading Rowing Champion, Coach, Motivational Speaker and model. How you are able to manage such a remarkable multi- dimensional and multi-faceted lifestyle ?

Ms. Susan Francia: It is very difficult and sometimes I find that I am failing at it all. But I have to remember that juggling all of these is what I love and I do my best to make it all work. Closer to the Olympics however, I have to focus on just being an athlete.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: You have a masters degree in Criminology and Sociology, do you find time to do something in the field of your education ?

Ms. Susan Francia: Unfortunately I have not done much since graduating. It is still a topic that very much interests me.

Ms. Namita Nayyar: What you wish to say about the website Womenfitness.net and message for its visitors?

Ms. Susan Francia: You don�t have to be an Olympian to have goals and work hard to achieve them! Make sure you are honest with yourself and just try to stay consistent. Good luck!

Women Fitness Team thanks Susan Francia for giving her valuable time for this interview and quenching the thirst of her fans to know more about her and made this interview happen.

To know more about Susan Francia, Check out at: http://www.susanfrancia.com/       

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Dated 11 March 2014