Sabina louise pierce's photo Blog

By: Sabina Lousie Pierce

Oct 19 2011

Tags: gold medal, Jen Goldsack, pan am games, rowing, sculling

Category: philadelphia, photography

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I row almost everyday, I love it.. I head out in a single and pound out 6 miles a day.. Its great for my broken back, its great for my head and its great for my soul.. Very Zen…But I’m not of the age of dreaming of gold,  I do it because I love it, but I must admit I enjoy being at a boathouse and around elite athletes that are. And I really enjoy photographing them too. They are in penn ultimate shape kinda like Barbaro was before he broke his leg and are at the the top or close to the the top of their game.. When they practice their sport its like ballet.. Beautiful to photograph with precise well thought out smooth movements.. Makes my job easy and fun.

I shot this photo of Jen Goldsack (closest to camera) a few months ago while she was training for the Pan am games. I had watched her on the river all summer long, not knowing her but in awe of her strength and determination of rowing over 30 miles a day. She was incredible to watch as she whizzed by me in the rain, in the glaring sun and sometimes even in 100 degree heat.. She never missed a day and seemed tireless..  So when her famous coach Nesh asked me to take some photos for fundraising to the Pan Am games, I was more than happy to help out..

I shot this photo of her  hanging off the side of his launch as Ted put her and  two other elite rowers through their paces . I fell in love with it.. Its tight, powerful and precise. You can see how and why she just won Gold at the Pan Am games in Mexico in her single scull..  Even with 30 bearing down on her and numerous back and shoulder injuries she is still a force to be reckoned with!