University of Iowa Athletics

Elena Waiglein

Class Sr.
Hometown Trieste, Italy
High School Liceo Scientifico Galileo Galilei
Elena Waiglein - Women's Rowing - University of Iowa Athletics

Before Iowa… Member of Saturnia and competed in 36 Italian Championships… holds 13 gold, 4 silver, and 4 bronze medals from 2011-2016 in different boats and as a member of Club Ginnastica Triestina… member of the Italian National Team since 2012, placing in the following finishes: 2012 European rowing Championship 8+ second place, 2012 Coupe de la Jeunesse 1x twice third place and 8+ first place, 2013 World Rowing Championship 4- second place, 2014 European rowing Championship 4x second place, 2014 World Rowing Championship 4x eighth place… set the Indoor Italian Championship record of 7:12.8 in 2012…

Personal… Born January 24, 1996… daughter of Massimiliano Waiglein and Anna Teresa Massaro… psychology major.

Why Iowa… Because I could row and study at the same time, something very different from the universities back home.

My favorite aspect of rowing is… the feeling of the boat moving on the water. It feels like freedom.

What made you want to become a rower… I was 12 years-old and I didn’t know what was going on. Later I figured out that I was good at it and I kept going, it made me feel in the right place in the right moment.