Drew Ginn OAM

Drew Ginn is one of the most decorated and respected figures in Australian sport, a triple Olympic Gold medallist, five-time world champion, and recipient of the prestigious Thomas Keller Medal. Renowned for his technical mastery, grit, and longevity, Drew helped define an era of Australian rowing success across four Olympic cycles.

A proud product of Mercantile Rowing Club and Scotch College Melbourne, Drew’s international breakthrough came in 1996 when he was selected to join the legendary “Oarsome Foursome” for the Atlanta Olympics. At just 21, he won his first Olympic gold. He would go on to win further Olympic titles in the Men’s Pair in 2004 (with James Tomkins OAM) and 2008 (with Duncan Free OAM), overcoming major injury setbacks to return stronger each time. He capped off his Olympic career with a Silver medal in the Men's Four at the 2012 London Games.

Beyond the Olympics, Drew secured five world championship titles, medalled in multiple boat classes, and was twice named FISA Male Rower of the Year, first with Tomkins in 2003, and again with Free in 2007. His battles with injury, particularly chronic back pain, only amplified the legend of his achievements, marked by resilience, precision, and calm leadership under pressure.

Drew also contributed significantly off the water. He served on the Australian Olympic Committee Athletes’ Commission, helped lead national high-performance strategy following his retirement, and remains an influential mentor and advocate for athlete wellbeing, innovation in training, and coach development.

In recognition of his remarkable career and exemplary sportsmanship, Drew was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (1997), inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2018), and in 2014, received the Thomas Keller Medal, the highest honour in international rowing.

Today, Drew Ginn’s legacy lives on not only in medals and milestones, but in the spirit of Australian rowing: resilient, humble, and relentlessly in pursuit of excellence.