Kenneth D Grant OAM
OAM for services to rowing
Maylands Aquatic Club (WA), then Swan River Rowing Club (WA), then Melbourne Rowing Club (VIC), then Edith Cowan University Rowing Club then Perth Rowing Club (WA)
Ken first rowed in 1928 when he moved to Perth for his electrical apprenticeship. He started his rowing at Marylands Rowing Club, a club which was established in 1933. He was a member of their first or one of their first wins in 1934 in a maiden pair with Allan Collins1. He transferred to Swan River Rowing Club to train for the 1940 Champion Eights at the end of the season. Unfortunately for Ken, both it and the King's Cup race were cancelled due to WWI.2
He was moved to Melbourne during the war for aircraft construction. After the war he joined Melbourne Rowing Club winning the senior eights in 1946 and was selected to stroke the Victorian crew. However he returned to Perth when his mother died but coach Ray Todd kept the two seat open for him when he returned. The Victorian crew was successful.
Ken returned to Perth in 1947 and retired from active rowing in 1948. After a period of rearing his family, Ken returned to coaching and by 1959 coached the State eight. A third place in 1959 just inspired him to get a winning crew in 1960, which he did. The 1960 story is well known and his Olympic crew hold him in utmost respect.
He continued coaching for many years at State, club and school level. Nicole Whitehouse writing in the Australian Rowing magazine of June 1985 concluded: “It is difficult in the extreme to sum up a career like Ken’s, and as he is still adding to it, this doesn’t seem the time to do so. Suffice to say that with his knowledge, determination, sense of humour and continual willingness to learn those days, Ken Grant is the kind of person our sort is fortunate indeed to have captured.”3
Ken Grant died in 1989.
1946 Victorian crew with Ken in the two seat
Ken's 1960 Olympic eight
Some of the details
1946 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship (VIC) two seat – First
1959 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – Third
1960 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – First
1960 – Olympic Games - Men’s Eight coach – eliminated in repechage
1961 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – Third
1962 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach - Second
1963 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach -Third
1964 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach - Third
1965 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach - Third
1971 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship coach – Eliminated in repechage
1976 – Interstate Women’s Four Championship coach - Third
1977 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship co-coach – Eliminated in repechage
1977 – Interstate Women’s Sculling Championship coach – Eliminated in repechage
1978 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship co-coach – Eliminated in repechage
1979 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach No 2 crew – Eliminated in repechage
1979 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach No 1 crew – Sixth
1979 – Interstate Women’s Sculling Championship coach – Eliminated in repechage
1980 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach - Second
1980 – Interstate Women’s Sculling Championship coach – Fourth & Fifth
1981 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach - Third
1981 – Interstate Women’s Sculling Championship coach – Eliminated in repechage
1983 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach - Third
1983 – Interstate Women’s Sculling Championship coach - Fifth
1984 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach - Fifth
1987 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach - Fifth
1988 – Interstate Men’s Lightweight Four Championship coach - Fifth
1989 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship co-coach – Race not conducted due to a cyclone.
1989 – Interstate Men’s Eight Challenge co-coach - Third
Andrew Guerin
July 2021
Sources:
- Home and Dry by W S Cooper published by Rowing WA in 2008, page 84
- As above, page 85
- Australian Rowing Magazine, June 1985