Hero Jess does her forebear proud

Jessica Munro says she is no hero. Photo / Supplied

Heroism obviously runs in the family of Hamilton teen Jessica Munro, who has received the same bravery award as her great-great-grandfather.

Munro and rowing teammate Ashleigh Hodge were both 17 when they dived into the Waikato River last June to try to save a woman who had fallen from a bridge.

The pair were among four Waikato people awarded Royal Humane Society bravery awards for their roles in two river rescues.

It is the same award Munro's great-great-grandfather, Admiral Charles Little, received in 1917 after he had attempted to rescue a fellow sailor who had fallen overboard in the North Sea.

The wintry water was so cold that "you would be dead in about 20 minutes", said Munro's father Andrew.

Little was unable to save the man's life but his heroic act was recognised by the Royal Humane Society.

The proud father said Jessica had taken the rescue in her stride.

"Jessie's an action girl and my great-grandfather was a bit of an action guy."

His daughter, however, wasn't comfortable with being called a hero.

"I'm no hero. Anyone would have done what I did in my situation, I'm sure," she said.

Munro and Hodge were coming home from rowing trials for the New Zealand squad when they saw a woman face-down in the water.

They braved cold water and a strong current to reach the woman and drag her to the bank near Cambridge.

They unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate her and stayed with the body until a rescue boat reached them.

Munro moved to the US two weeks ago to take up a rowing scholarship at Washington State University where she is studying psychology.

Hodge recently returned from competing in the World Junior Rowing Championships in England.