Greg Searle
Olympic gold medallist rower in 1992 and London 2012 Olympic bronze medallist, Greg Searle started rowing in 1985 after watching his brother Jonny win the Princess Elizabeth Challenge Cup at Henley Royal Regatta and Martin Cross win Gold at the LA Olympics in 1984. He rowed for Hampton School until 1990. He remembers these as some of the best years’ rowing and training he ever did.
In 1988 he was selected in the coxed pair for the Junior World Championships where he finished fourth. After leaving school he moved from Hampton to Molesey Boat Club and straight into the GB team. Greg won his second junior gold in 1990 and became the first athlete to achieve selection for both senior and junior World Championships in the same year.
He took Olympic gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, winning the coxed pairs event with his brother Jonny Searle and cox Garry Herbert. He also won a World Championship gold medal in 1993 with his brother and was awarded an MBE in the 1993 New Year’s Honours, following his Gold at Barcelona.
In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, he finished third in the coxless four event. Following Atlanta, he converted briefly to competing in the single scull (coached by Harry Mahon), and won bronze at the 1997 Rowing World Championships. He was a finalist in the coxless pairs at the 2000 Sydney Olympics with Ed Coode, finishing a disappointing and close fourth, having led much of the way.
After his retirement as an international rower, Greg joined the British team in the America’s Cup. He was a “grinder” in the 2002 Challenger Series. He returned to international rowing at the age of 38 for the 2010 World Rowing Championships and won an Olympic bronze medal in the men’s eight at London 2012.