When Annie Anezakis returned to Oxford University for medical school in 2023, she didn’t plan to row again, after taking a year off the sport.
Soon she realised she “missed the structure and routine” it provided her and joined the team again.
“It was a dream of mine from high school – to study at a historic institution like Oxford and to compete in the Boat Race, one of the most prestigious rowing races in the world – so I still have to pinch myself that I’m here,” told Annie Anezakis to Neos Kosmos.
At 26, the Greek Australian Oxford student has the discipline “to sacrifice what is necessary to succeed” in her studies, career, and sport.
As she paddles through the demands of medical studies and rowing training, she focuses on “finding a healthy balance.”
“Balancing rowing and studying have helped me develop really good time management skills – I make sure I use any time that I’m not in the classroom or at training very effectively.”
Mastering a demanding schedule
Anezakis is on the rowing team at Oxford, aiming for the Boat Race—a 6.8 km race through London against Cambridge University.
As President of the women’s team, she looks forward to another season with Oxford, having raced in the 2022 and 2024 Boat Races.
Unlike the pace of rowing at times, the dedicated athlete’s daily routine at the university is far from “cruisy.”
“A typical day starts in the gym around 7am, with a weights session or training on the rowing machine,” says Anezakis.
After that, she will either attend lectures “all day or be on placement in the hospital, learning from the doctors and assisting with patients.”
Once classes are done, she heads to the boathouse for a few hours of rowing.
“I get home around 7pm, have dinner with my housemates and get some studying in before bed.”
For Anezakis, this challenging program means more than just practical skills.
“Being in the boat also allows me to disconnect from the stress of my studies and find some time for myself.”
Sharing special moments with family
The 26-year-old medical student was accepted to Oxford last year, but it wasn’t her first time on campus.
She completed a master’s in pharmacology, having started her studies at the university in September 2021.
Greek families come together for big moments, and finding out whether Anezakis got into Oxford for the second time was no exception.
She remembers being on FaceTime with her “biggest motivator and supporter,” her mum, telling her how she “didn’t think she’d get in.”
“She (mum) asked me if I had checked my junk email, so whilst we were on the phone, I had a quick look and there it was – my offer to study at Oxford. There was a lot of screaming and many tears,” she recalls.
“I was very lucky to have shared such a special moment with her, even on opposite sides of the world.”
Keeping Hellenic traditions alive
Anezakis says she has shared a taste of Hellenic culture with her housemates in England.
“When I’m back in Oxford, I love cooking Greek food for my housemates (giouvetsi is everyone’s favourite), I’m often caught playing Greek music on the speakers in the rowing gym, and I try to keep in contact with friends I’ve made in Greece over the summer.”
Wherever she is in the world, she always looks for ways to stay connected to her heritage.
“I’ve also found all the Greek cafes in the city for a freddo cappuccino and spanakopita.”
Feeling deeply “connected to her Hellenic roots,” Anezakis has spent most summers in Greece with her family.
This year, she “spent just over a month in Greece,” including a few “special” weeks staying with her yiayia and papou in Lesvos, where her mum’s family is from.
For the 26-year-old aspiring doctor, living in England is a “bonus” she says, since it’s just a few hours from Athens.
As part of her medical degree at Oxford, she’ll need to complete a 10-week placement anywhere in the world after final exams.
It’s easy to guess which destination is on Anezakis’s mind for this.
“I’m planning on going to Greece for that, to gain a better understanding of the healthcare system and find potential opportunities to work in Greece in the future.”
Pursuing a childhood dream
From a young age, Anezakis dreamed of becoming a doctor, a passion that grew stronger over the years.
“It has always stemmed from a desire to help others and have a positive impact on people’s lives.”
Her curious nature makes it difficult to choose a specific area of medical specialty.
For her Master’s, she researched a new drug for treating a type of lethal cardiac arrhythmia in children.
Her undergraduate research project covered the efficacy of a specific stem cell treatment for muscle injuries in athletes and the impact of the menstrual cycle on injury risk in female athletes.
“Follow your ambition, trust yourself and never give up”
Anezakis’s journey in rowing began when she was recruited to row and study in the United States after winning the Australian National Championships with her high school, St Catherine’s, in 2016.
She completed her undergraduate degree at Princeton University, where she was on the rowing team and helped run the Special Olympics rowing program for people with intellectual disabilities.
At Princeton, she won an American National Championship in her final year before heading to Oxford.
After that, she plans to return to Melbourne to start her career as a doctor and be with her family again.
“I miss my big Greek family at home and can’t wait to be at family events in person, not over FaceTime.”
While she “loves studying and working abroad,” her dream is to find a way to split her work between Australia and Greece.
As for the advice she gives to young aspiring doctors:
“Follow your ambition, trust yourself and never give up. More practically, preparation from as early as possible is key, put yourself in the best position to have a strong application when the time comes.”
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