A qualified and working veterinarian, 2017 saw Sarah Hawe be selected for her first Senior Australian Rowing Team at the age of 29. Hawe first pulled on the green and gold for Australia when she rowed in the Women’s Double Scull for the Junior Australian Rowing Team in 2005, finishing fifth overall at the World Championships that year. The Victorian-born athlete, who in the past rowed out of Melbourne University BC, is now based in Tasmania and rows for Huon Rowing Club. In 2017, alongside Meaghan Volker, Hawe won the inaugural Sarah Tait Memorial Trophy, with the duo crowned the 2017 Women’s Pair Champions of Australia.
In 2017, Hawe relocated to Penrith after she was selected in the Australian Women’s Four to compete in World Cups 2 and 3 and the World Rowing Championships. Alongside Lucy Stephan, Molly Goodman and Katrina Werry, she did not lose a race in 2017 – with the crew winning World Cups 2 and 3, and being crowned World Champions in the boat class. The crew were also crowned the 2017 Female Australian Crew of the Year at the 2017 Hancock Prospecting Rower of the Year Awards.
In 2018, Hawe was once again selected into the Women’s Four – alongside Stephan and Goodman – with Rosie Popa making up the crew for the World Rowing Cups.