Drew Ginn: Australian Olympic Rower

Drew Ginn is an Australian rower who won three Olympic golds and a silver across four Games, and is regarded as one of his country’s most successful oarsmen. This profile covers his career, the boats he rowed and the environment he rowed in.

Career in outline

Ginn won three Olympic gold medals for Australia in sweep boats: the coxless four with Nick Green, James Tomkins and Mike McKay at Atlanta 1996, the coxless pair with James Tomkins at Athens 2004, and the coxless pair with Duncan Free at Beijing 2008. A severe back injury forced him out of the pair he and Tomkins had planned to race at Sydney 2000, and he returned to competition in 2002.

He also won silver in the coxless four at London 2012, which shows how long he remained at the top.

The boats he rowed

Ginn’s best-known results came in the coxless pair and coxless four, which are both sweep boats. In sweep rowing, each athlete holds a single oar, with oars alternating on each side of the boat so the crew stays balanced. For the sculling side of the sport, read our profile of Robbie Manson, the world’s fastest sculler.

Boat	Crew	What makes it hard
Coxless pair (2-)	Two rowers, one oar each	No cox, so the rowers steer, usually by a small foot-operated rudder; nowhere to hide
Coxless four (4-)	Four rowers, one oar each	Needs power and precise timing with no cox calling the race

The pair is often called one of the hardest boats to row well. It is unforgiving: any difference in power or timing between the two rowers makes the boat rock and turn. Pairs also tend to have more intense preparation than larger boats, since the two have to match each other perfectly. For the full line-up of boats, see what Olympic rowing boats are called.

What about the Oarsome Foursome?

The “Oarsome Foursome” was the name given to the Australian coxless four that won gold at Barcelona 1992 and became national celebrities. Ginn joined the crew after Barcelona and won his first Olympic gold with it at Atlanta 1996. It is a useful reminder that Australian rowing has a strong public profile, which helps recruitment and funding. For the harsher side of that public profile, read about the Lay Down Sally incident.

Longevity in a hard sport

Staying at the top for several Games is unusual in rowing, because of the load on the lower back and the hours of training. Rowers who last tend to look after technique, manage load carefully, and cross-train. The general lesson for any rower is to treat back pain seriously and see a physiotherapist rather than pushing through. If you have back pain, see a GP or physio before training hard.

After competing

Rowers of his standing often move into coaching, speaking, charity work and education. Ginn took up competitive road cycling in 2009 and won the Oceania time trial title. World Rowing awarded him the Thomas Keller Medal in 2014, and he entered the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2018, after joining the Rowing Victoria Hall of Fame in 2010.

Why he matters

His career shows how long a rower can compete at the highest level when they look after their body and adapt their training. For the wider picture, see the Olympic rowing hub, our page on Olympic rowing in Australia and how to become an Olympic rower.