Alexander McClean

Alexander “Lex” McClean is a versatile sweep rower from Manly, NSW, representing Mosman Rowing Club and currently undertaking postgraduate studies at Cambridge University. A proud product of The King’s School, Parramatta, Alexander’s rowing journey has taken him from school sheds to the banks of the Thames and the Ivy League waters of Yale, where he completed his undergraduate degree and earned All-Ivy honours.

Internationally, Alexander has been a mainstay in the Australian U23 Men’s Eight, winning Bronze in 2022 and placing fourth in 2023. He also raced in the U19 Coxed Four at the 2019 World Junior Championships, placing fifth. A former Australian national champion in the U19 Men’s Four (2019), he’s since stepped into senior racing, competing at World Rowing Cup III in the Men’s Eight in 2022.

Alexander’s proudest sporting moment was winning the 2022 US Collegiate National Championships in the 1V with fellow Aussie teammate Marcus Emmett, a highlight that capped off a decorated American college rowing career. His 2025 goals include pushing his physical limits and making the Senior Australian Team, continuing alongside his U23 peers.

Outside the boat, Alexander is completing an MPhil in Management at Cambridge Judge Business School, having already been named a 2024 IRCA Scholar-Athlete. He previously rowed for both the 1V and 2V at Yale, contributing to podium finishes at Eastern Sprints and IRA Nationals.

His sporting background includes swimming and rugby, but he chose rowing at 14 for its camaraderie and challenge. His mum, Nici Andronicus, who represented Australia in triathlon and pentathlon in the 1990s, remains his biggest inspiration.

McClean is known for his humour, love of surfing, Bahasa Indonesia, and pre-race pump-up song, Final Credits by Midlands. His best rowing tip? “Keep your toes connected to the footboard at the finish”—a gem passed down from Olympian Angus Dawson.

His motto? “Sometimes you gotta get primal.”