At the FISA dinner held on Saturday evening, where Denis Oswald handed over the organisation’s Presidency to Jean-Christophe Rolland, Australian oarsman Drew Ginn was awarded this year’s Thomas Keller Medal from the hands of Dominik Keller, son of former FISA president Thomas Keller. Quoting the FISA presentation of Ginn, when it was announced in April that he was one of the candidates for the Keller Medal, WorldRowing wrote on their website:
Drew Ginn shot to fame as part of Australia’s celebrated Oarsome Foursome when they won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Following this Ginn went on to help Australia win medals in the eight, coxed four and pair. At the 1999 World Rowing Championships Ginn, along with partner James Tomkins, became World Champions in the pair setting themselves up as favourites for the 2000 Olympics. A back injury forced Ginn out of the boat and out of rowing at the eleventh hour. But Ginn’s tenacity and perseverance saw him back on form two years later and in 2003 he was again a World Champion. Ginn followed this up with Olympic gold in Athens.
After a post-Olympic break, Ginn returned with new partner, Duncan Free, and together they won the 2006 and 2007 World Rowing Championships. Leading up to the 2008 Olympic Games Ginn again suffered back problems. That didn’t stop him and he won another Olympic Champion title. A back operation and a break followed the Beijing Olympics with Ginn declaring he would make a comeback in the men’s four. The four took on the mighty British four to finish with silver at the London Olympic Games.
Ginn is well-known for his willingness to share his rowing ‘secrets’ as well as his outstanding rowing technique. Ginn is regularly used as an example of the ‘right way to row’.
Find photographs from the World Rowing Night and FISA Presidential Handover Ceremony in Lucerne, here.
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