Olympic Rowing Brothers Greg and Jonny Searle

Greg and Jonny Searle are British brothers who won Olympic gold in the coxed pair at Barcelona 1992, with Garry Herbert steering. Greg later added a bronze in the men’s eight at London 2012.

Barcelona 1992

The brothers raced as a coxed pair, a boat with two rowers and a cox. Garry Herbert was their cox. They won gold in a close final.

Greg was the younger of the two, born in 1972, and Jonny was born in 1969. They both went on to be awarded the MBE for services to rowing.

The gold made them household names in Britain, in part because of the image of a young crew winning by a narrow margin. For another gold from those Games, read our profile of Kathleen Heddle, the Canadian rower.

After 1992

Both brothers continued to race internationally. They raced together again in the coxless four at Atlanta 1996, where the crew won bronze. Greg returned to the Olympic team and won bronze in the men’s eight at London 2012, aged 40.

Greg’s comeback is a good example of how long a rowing career can last. Rowing rewards aerobic fitness, which can be maintained into the late thirties and beyond, while experience helps with technique and racing judgement. A rower in an eight also benefits from being one among nine, with the load shared across the crew.

Why the coxed pair is special

The coxed pair is one of the most demanding small boats because the cox has to steer, call the race and keep the rowers in rhythm. In a coxless pair the rowers steer with a foot-operated rudder or by adjusting pressure, which takes concentration away from the rowing. In a coxed pair, the cox sits in the stern (or, in some boats, lies in the bow) and takes care of steering, so the two rowers can focus on power and timing.

It was dropped from the Olympic programme after 1992, and the eight is now the only Olympic boat with a cox.

The cox also plays a large role in a race plan. They watch rivals’ lanes, call the moves, and keep morale high. A cox has a minimum weight under World Rowing rules so that smaller coxes do not gain an unfair advantage, and a cox under the 55 kg minimum must carry dead weight in the boat, up to 15 kg, to make up the difference.

Read about the other Olympic boats in what Olympic rowing boats are called.

Rowing with a sibling

Brothers and sisters often crew together at club level, and the Searles show it can work at the top. A shared upbringing can help with trust and communication, because you know when your crewmate is struggling and what to say. It can also bring friction, as siblings may argue more bluntly than other partners. Many sibling crews agree rules in advance, such as no post-race blame and a clear role for the cox in settling disagreements. For what public blame can do to a crew, read about the Lay Down Sally incident.

If you want to try crewing with a family member, start in a stable boat, such as a coxed four or a double scull, rather than a pair. Pairs are the least forgiving boat for beginners. Our guide to the basics of sweep rowing explains what a first outing involves.

What the story offers

• Siblings have an edge in a pair. Shared background can help with trust and communication.
• A long career means being willing to change roles and boats.
• A cox is a coach in the boat. A good one can make a crew faster than the sum of its parts.
• Staying involved in the sport after racing, as coaches or administrators, keeps knowledge in the rowing community.

For more, see British Olympic rowers and the Olympic rowing hub.