Since her last Olympics in Tokyo, Folsom rower Michelle Sechser has been dreaming of making it to medal contention in the Paris Olympics. That dream has became a reality as the 37-year-old that cut her teeth in the sport of rowing on the waters of Lake Natoma will compete for a podium spot later advancing from the semi-finals in the lightweight women’s double Sculls Wednesday.
“We didn’t have our best performance in the heat, so being able to show up and have a better run down the track today meant a lot,” Sechser said. “I’ve been dreaming about the opportunity to race in this lightweight double Olympic final since Tokyo.”
Sechser and her teammate Molly Rockford of New Jersey finished third in their semifinal to advance to the medal race that takes place on Friday.
Racing in the first semifinal, the U.S. got off the line even with Canada in third position, behind Great Britain and New Zealand. The two lead crews continued to battle through the 1,000-meter mark before the two-time defending world champion British boat began to get some separation.
The U.S. moved away from Canada in the second 500 meters to stake its claim the final qualification spot. Poland tried to make a late charge on the U.S., but Sechser and Reckford were able to take third by about a boat length.
“We went into the race with the right attitude today,” Reckford said in post race. “We were there trying to get into the A final and I said to Michelle, ‘live or die, we’re fighting for the line.’ We were able to smile and keep it light on the start line, and I always love it when we are able to do that as a double. I think it can boost a lot of our speed. It was a dogfight out there. This is the sort of race where people go crazy out there and pull out moves that you’ve never seen before, but we stayed calm and trusted each other and when I said, ‘go,’ Michelle went. Love that.”
Great Britain won the race in a 6:59.79, with New Zealand clocking a 7:02.86. The U.S. team of Sechser and Reckford finished with a time of 7:05.03. The United Statees will take on Romania, Greece, and Ireland in the final. Sechser and Reckford finished fifth in Tokyo. The U.S. last won a medal in the event in 2000.
From Lake Natoma to Olympic completion, twice
The Paris Games mark Sechser’s second appearance representing Folsom at the Olympics, following her participation in the women’s lightweight doubles in Tokyo, where she finished fifth alongside Molly Reckford. Following her fifth-place finish in Tokyo, Sechser already had her sights set on another opportunity to compete at the Olympic level.
Now, Sechser is fulfilling her dream for the second time, showing unwavering dedication to the sport she loves. At the same time, she is taking the stage for a competition that will not be part of the next Olympics as the Lightweight Women’s Double Sculls is part of the games for the final time this week.
“It’s a really bittersweet feeling. I have a bit of heartbreak towards it. It’s obviously the only Olympic boat class for lightweight women, so seeing it go away is pretty sad,” Sechser shared in an interview just a few days prior to hitting the Paris waters. “However, I’m really excited that for Paris to get to be part of the last dance for it, I think will be actually something really special.”
Whether it was the last event of its type or not, Sechser and Reckford still have the same goal: to go for the gold. Now, doing so is somewhat “double special.”
“My goal is to make that Olympic final, knowing that I’ll be on that start line with the other five fastest countries in the world. And having one shot for the last time,” she said. “I think people build a little something special out of your sleeve knowing that it’s the last time it will ever happen.”
From her high school days to the present, Sechser has remained committed to rowing, continually adding to her impressive athletic career. Notable highlights include winning the lightweight double sculls at the 2021 World Rowing Final Olympic Qualification Regatta and securing a third-place finish in the 2011 Pan American Games. More recently, she claimed a silver medal in the 2023 World Championships, adding to her previous participations in 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, and 2022, where she also earned a bronze medal in 2017.
After graduating locally, Sechser pursued her higher education at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, where she earned her MBA.
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