Old Stoic makes history by winning Olympic Gold

2 August 2024

Old Stoic, James Rudkin (Walpole 2012) was a member of the Great Britain Men’s Eight which won the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo. Since Tokyo, team coach Steve Trapmore, Olympic Champion himself in the Sydney 2000 GB Men's Eight, watched by 6-years old James, has continued his ambition - to pass on his dream to the next generation. 

He formed the crew he has always wanted, with James as a corner stone. World Rowing Commentator and Olympic Champion, Greg Searle spoke about the crew after they won their first world title in Prague in 2022. He said that he had rowed in many international eights himself, but he has never seen a team that is “As One” as this crew. 

From coach, Steve Trapmore, Olympic Champion; James, Olympic Medallist, to crew members who have never been to an Olympics - no one is more important than anyone else. They are there for each other, and the result is a crew that has won every championship since - World Champions in ’22 and ’23, European Champions in ’22, ’23 and ’24.

On Saturday 3 August, the GB Men’s and Women’s Eights, both winners in their heats, went into the last day of the Regatta, where they faced their greatest challenge - the Olympic Final. 

The Women's Eight took the Bronze medal, and after a very tense and close race with The Netherlands and the USA, the GB Men's Eight succeeded in taking home the Gold Medal. 

Huge congratulations to James who is the first Old Stoic in history to win Gold at the Olympics.