James Tomkins (rower)

Medal record
James Tomkins (rower)
Men's rowing
Competitor for Australia
Olympic Games
Gold	1992 Barcelona	Coxless four
Gold	1996 Atlanta	Coxless four
Gold	2004 Athens	Coxless pair
Bronze	2000 Sydney	Coxless pair
World Championships
Gold	2003	Coxless pair
Gold	1999	Coxless pair
Gold	1998	Coxed four
Gold	1998	Coxed pair
Gold	1991	Coxless four
Gold	1990	Coxless four
Gold	1986	Eight

James Bruce Tomkins, OAM (born 19 August 1965 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian rower and a three-time Olympic gold medalist. He is one of a handful of rowers to compete at six Olympics.

Biography

Persuaded to try out rowing by a Carey Baptist Grammar School coach, the lanky James Tomkins quickly developed a liking for the sport winning numerous events whilst competing for the school's rowing team.

In 1985, Tomkins first made the Australian National team in eight man boat (8+). In 1986, the Australian eight won a gold medal at the World Rowing Championships and at the 1988 Summer Olympics, the Australian eight finished fourth.

In 1990, Tomkins, with Nick Green, Sam Patten and Mike McKay, began racing the coxless four. Their success was immediate. They won the 1990 and 1991 World Championships. With Andrew Cooper replacing Sam Patten, they followed up with a gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The crew's success gained them the nickname Oarsome Foursome.

The crew repeated its Gold medal performance at the 1996 Summer Olympics, this time with Drew Ginn replacing Andrew Cooper.

In 1998, the Oarsome Foursome won the four with coxswain, and Tomkins and Nicholas Green won the pair with coxswain. In 1999, the boat would go on to try out, but lose the 1999 Australian selection trials in the four without. Tomkins and Drew Ginn decided to switch to the coxless pairs and they won the 1999 World Championships. This win made Tomkins the first man to win a gold medal at the World Championships in each of the 5 sweep rowing events.

Tomkins and Ginn had planned to row the pair at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, but while in Europe preparing for the games, a severe back injury requiring surgery sidelined Ginn. On short notice, Tomkins teamed with team alternate Matthew Long, (who had to switch from the port side to the starboard side of the boat) and they raced a surprising third at the Lucerne World Cup race. Tomkins and Long were selected to represent Australia, and at the Olympics, they finished third behind France and the United States, just 1.3 seconds out of first place.

Returning to the coxless pairs in 2002, Ginn and Tomkins beat the heavily favoured British crew of Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell in a world cup race before finishing a close fourth at the World Championships. In 2003, Ginn and Tomkins reversed the prior years results winning the World Championship, with Pinset and Cracknell getting fourth. In 2004, Pinset and Cracknell moved to the coxless four to better their chances for a medal. Ginn and Tomkins would go on to win the coxless pairs at the 2004 Summer Olympics, leading at every mark, beating Croatia by 2 seconds, with South Africa claiming the bronze.

Tomkins was selected in the mens eight for the 2007 Rowing World Championships in Munich, placing a disappointing 4th. He competed in his sixth Olympic Games at Beijing following the disqualification of the Russian Federation boat as a result of a doping scandal. Tomkins was the Australian flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony. Tomkins and his crew finished last in the men's Eight A Final and 6th overall at the Beijing Games.

He is one of four athletes to compete in rowing at six Olympics, along with Romanian Elisabeta Oleniuc Lipă in 2004, Canadian cox Lesley Thompson, and Estonian Jüri Jaanson.

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

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
• Kings Cups: 15 Championships
• FISA World Cups: 2 Gold
• FISA Crew of the Year: 2003, Coxless Pair

Olympic Games

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

World championships

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

FISA World Cups

• 2008 - 4th, Eight, World Cup II
• 2008 - 1st, Eight, World Cup I
• 2007 - 6th, Eight, World Cup III
• 2007 - 10th, Eight, World Cup II
• 2002 - 1st, Coxless Pair, World Cup II

The Kings Cup

• 2008- 2nd, New South Wales (1st)
• 2007- 1st
• 2004- 2nd, New South Wales (1st)
• 2003- 1st
• 2002- 1st
• 2000- 1st
• 1999- 2nd, Western Australia (1st)
• 1998- 1st
• 1996- 1st
• 1995- 1st
• 1994- 1st
• 1992- 1st
• 1991- 1st
• 1990- 1st
• 1988- 1st
• 1987- 1st
• 1986- 1st
• 1985- 1st

Commonwealth Games

• 1986 - Gold, Eight. Bronze, Coxed Four (with James Galloway, Andrew Cooper, Michael McKay and Dale Caterson (cox)).

See also

• List of athletes with the most appearances at Olympic Games

External links

• Profile on RowingOne
• Sports-Reference Profile