Josh West
Medal record | ||
---|---|---|
Men's rowing | ||
Representing Great Britain | ||
Olympic Games | ||
2008 Beijing | Eight |
A. Joshua "Josh" West (born 25 March 1977) is a British rower and academic.
Early life
Josh West has Jewish descent and was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico, United States:[1] his mother is American, and his father is British.[1]
Rowing career
He attended Yale University for his undergraduate degree.[1] At Yale, he learned to row under Freshman Coach Justin Moore and Varsity Coach Dave Vogel. He participated in the 4-mile (6.4 km) Varsity Eights version of the Harvard-Yale Boat Race his senior year (1998) but lost to Harvard. As an undergraduate he was a member of the literary society, St. Anthony Hall.
In 1999, Josh attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge for postgraduate study as a Marshall Scholar, and simultaneously earned a spot in the Blue Boat for The Boat Race against Oxford University. Earning a seat in Cambridge's Blue Boat every year until 2002, West and the "Light Blues" defeated the "Dark Blues" twice in those four years (1999 & 2001). In 2000, West lined up against former Yale teammates Alexander Reid and Eirik Lilledahl, who were the stern pair of the victorious Oxford crew.[2] At 6 ft 9.5 in (2.070 m), West is the tallest recorded oarsman to participate in The Boat Race. He also twice won May Bumps headships with Caius Boat Club.
Building on his Cambridge successes, West eventually became a member of the British National Rowing Team and won two silver medals (2002 & 2003) with the British Four and one bronze medal (2007) with the British Eight at the World Rowing Championships.
West's most recent success came in the Eight rowing for Great Britain at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China,[3] where the British crew picked up a Silver Medal in a close finish behind the Canadians.[4]
West is currently a faculty member in Earth Sciences at the University of Southern California.[5]
See also
References
- ^ a b c "Jewish Athletes Reach for the Gold". Forward.com. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- ^ "Oxford win thrilling Boat Race". BBC News. 25 March 2000. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
- ^ "GB rowing sets sights on Beijing". BBC News. 4 May 2005. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- ^ "West and Co. Take Second in Race Loaded with Ivies". Iviesinchina.com. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- ^ "West Research Group at USC". Earth.usc.edu. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
- 1977 births
- Living people
- British Jews
- British male rowers
- Yale University alumni
- Alumni of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge
- Sportspeople from Santa Fe, New Mexico
- Rowers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Olympic rowers of Great Britain
- Olympic silver medallists for Great Britain
- Marshall Scholars
- Olympic medalists in rowing
- Jewish American sportspeople
- Medalists at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Members of Leander Club
- Cambridge University Boat Club rowers
- University of Southern California faculty
- American sportsmen