Our AD Member of the Month for November has been chosen for his exceptional resilience and dedication to rehabilitation. Matthew Braithwaite-Young, known to many around the Club as Matt or MBY, has earned this month’s recognition through sheer determination and an unwavering commitment to returning to the sport he loves.
Back in 2019, Matt faced a significant setback: a severe arthritic back injury that threatened to bring his love for rowing to an abrupt halt. With physiotherapists unable to offer a solution and surgery looming as the only recommendation, the outlook wasn’t promising.
At this critical point, his personal training sessions with our trusted AD team member Chris Grob, proposed an unexpected yet strategic approach, Romanian deadlifts. While counterintuitive at first glance, Chris designed the program to gradually rebuild strength and stability through Matt’s spine. After three years of consistent training, and five years since his last race, Matt made a remarkable return to competition last weekend.
He took on the prestigious Head of the Yarra, Australia’s premier rowing time trial: an 8km endurance race up the Yarra River from the City Bridge to Hawthorn.
The results spoke for themselves, Matt’s crew achieved their best race splits to date, maintaining a rating of 30 throughout the entire course, an exceptionally demanding pace even for seasoned rowers. They secured a top-four finish in their age category and were thrilled with their performance.
For his steady commitment to rehabilitation, resilience in the face of adversity, and contribution to the crew’s outstanding result, we are delighted to recognise Matt as our November AD MOTM.
Watch Matt back in action (Matt’s sitting 2nd seat) in the video below!
