Meg Flanagan

Meg began her rowing career at Marlborough Girls’ College in 2018, where she quickly established herself as a talented young athlete. She enjoyed early success at her first Maadi Cup in 2019, winning bronze medals in both the Girls’ Novice Quad and Girls’ Novice Four. In her final year of school rowing, Meg continued to progress, reaching the A Final in all three of her events: the Girls’ U18 Pair, Girls’ U18 Four, and Girls’ U18 Eight.

Following school, Meg continued her rowing career with Wairau, where she enjoyed a highly successful 2022 National Club Championships. She won bronze in the Women’s Senior Coxed Quad before going on to win gold and become the national champion in the Women’s Senior Eight.

Meg’s performances also earned her selection to her first New Zealand rowing team in 2021, when she was selected to represent New Zealand in the U19 Four. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, the team was unable to travel to the World Championships. Demonstrating her resilience and determination, Meg continued to develop her rowing, earning her second New Zealand team selection the following year. In 2022, she represented New Zealand at the U21 level, racing in both the Four and Eight.

Later that year, Meg began her university career at the University of Tennessee, where she continued to develop as a high-performance athlete. In her first year at Tennessee, she was selected directly into the First Varsity Eight, a significant achievement and one where she got to contribute to a record-breaking and highly successful season for the team. In 2024, during her Sophomore year, Meg again raced in the First Varsity Eight, which finished third in the Grand Final at the NCAA Championships. This was the best result the Tennessee team had achieved in the event at that time.

Throughout her time at Tennessee, Meg gained valuable high-performance racing experience while continuing to represent New Zealand internationally. In 2025, she competed at the U23 World Championships, winning a bronze medal in the Women’s Four.

Meg’s success continued in 2026, when she was part of Tennessee’s bronze medal-winning First Varsity Eight at the NCAA Championships. The crew crossed the line in an impressive 5:51.450, showcasing Meg’s ability to perform at the highest level of collegiate rowing. They also won SEC champs this year in Oakridge Tennessee, beating the No.1 ranked Texas and winning SECs for the first time in program history. After completing her rowing career and graduating from the University of Tennessee in 2026, Meg returned home to New Zealand to continue pursuing her rowing ambitions.

Back in New Zealand, Meg raced in the Women’s Pair at the Rowing New Zealand Performance Pathway Regatta. Her performances demonstrated her continued development and strong capabilities, catching the attention of selectors and further highlighting her potential at the international level.

Following several successful years of rowing both in New Zealand and overseas, Meg earned her place in the 2026 New Zealand Summer Squad. She now looks forward to competing in the domestic season and continuing to build towards her goal of representing New Zealand on the international stage.

Meg has completed an undergraduate degree in Nutrition, with a concentration in Community nutrition, and has just finished a Masters of Science in Nutrition. Outside of rowing Meg enjoys being outdoors and spending time with friends and family. She is currently looking at internship opportunities in the nutrition field to help maintain balance outside of rowing.