James Tomkins

James Bruce Tomkins (born 19 August 1965) is an Australian rower, seven-time World Champion and a three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is Australia's most awarded oarsman, having made appearances at six Olympic games (for three gold and one bronze medal);

International representative rowing In 1985, Tomkins first made the Australian national team as stroke of the senior men's eight for the 1985 World Rowing Championships in Hazewinkel Belgium. The Australian eight finished in ninth place. In 1986, the Australian eight stroked by Steve Evans won a gold medal at the 1986 World Rowing Championships in Nottingham, England with Tomkins rowing in the six seat. That same crew rowed to victory at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, and Tomkins won a Commonwealth Games gold medal. Tomkins also stroked a coxed four to a bronze medal at those same games.

At the World Championships in Copenhagen 1987 Tomkins was in the six seat when the men's VIII finished in fourth place and at the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Australian eight finished fourth with Tomkins again rowing at six.

In 1990 with his Mercantile clubmates Samuel Patten and Mike McKay and Nick Green from the Melbourne University Boat Club, Tomkins began racing an Australian representative coxless four. Their success was immediate. They won the 1990 and 1991 World Championships.

Accolades James Tomkins was announced as the 2008 Victorian Father of the Year by the Father's Day Council of Victoria Inc.

In 2010 he was inducted as a member of the Rowing Victoria Hall of Fame and that same year the International Rowing Federation awarded Tomkins the Thomas Keller Medal for his outstanding international rowing career. It is the sport's highest honour and is awarded within five years of the athlete's retirement, acknowledging an exceptional career and exemplary sportsmanship. and was elected to the IOC Athletes' Commission. He will serve as an IOC member for eight years.

Tomkins also helped to build the Carey/Yarra Yarra Boat Sheds on the Yarra River in Melbourne. There is an eight named after him in Carey boatshed.

Achievements 2008 Beijing Olympics Australian Flag Bearer Olympic Medals: 3 Gold, 1 Bronze World Championship Medals: 7 Gold Commonwealth Games Medals: 1 Gold, 1 Bronze King's Cup: 15 Championships FISA World Cups: 2 Gold FISA Crew of the Year: 2003, Coxless Pair Thomas Keller Medal: 2010

Olympic Games

Source:

1988 – 5th, Eight 1992 – Gold, Coxless Four (with Nick Green, Andrew Cooper, Mike McKay) 1996 – Gold, Coxless Four (with Nick Green, Drew Ginn, Mike McKay) 2000 – Bronze, Coxless Pair (with Matthew Long) 2004 – Gold, Coxless Pair (with Drew Ginn) 2008 – 6th, Eight

World championships

Source:

1985 – 9th, Eight 1986 – Gold, Eight 1987 – 4th, Eight 1990 – Gold, Coxless Four (with Nick Green, Samuel Patten, Mike McKay) 1991 – Gold, Coxless Four (with Nick Green, Samuel Patten, Mike McKay) 1995 – 5th, Coxless Four (with Nick Green, Drew Ginn, Mike McKay) 1998 – Gold, Coxed Pair (with Nick Green and Brett Hayman 1998 – Gold, Coxed Four (with Nick Green, Mike McKay, Drew Ginn and Brett Hayman 1999 – Gold, Coxless Pair (with Drew Ginn) 2002 – 4th, Coxless Pair (with Drew Ginn) 2003 – Gold, Coxless Pair (with Drew Ginn) 2007 – 7th, Eight

FISA World Cups 2002 – 1st, Coxless Pair, World Cup II 2007 – 10th, Eight, World Cup II 2007 – 6th, Eight, World Cup III 2008 – 1st, Eight, World Cup I 2008 – 4th, Eight, World Cup II

The Kings Cup

Source:

1984– 1st 1986– 1st 1987– 1st 1988– 1st 1990– 1st 1991– 1st 1992– 1st 1994– 1st 1995– 1st 1996– 1st 1998– 1st 1999– 2nd, Western Australia (1st) 2000– 1st 2002– 1st 2003– 1st 2004– 2nd, New South Wales (1st) 2007– 1st 2008– 2nd, New South Wales (1st)

Commonwealth Games 1986 – Gold, Eight. Bronze, Coxed Four (with James Galloway, Andrew Cooper, Mike McKay and Dale Caterson (cox)).