Jack Hargreaves OAM
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Sydney University Boat Club (NSW)
Jack is an Olympic and World Champion rower. His rowing is technically superb with effortless length, and he enhances key positions with great rhythm. He is "a gun" oarsman.
Retiring in 2024, he leaves a big hole in Australian men's rowing program having been a mainstay of Australian and NSW crews for over a decade.
On the podium at the Tokyo Games - Jack second from right
Photo courtesy of Rowing Australia
Given his significant ability, he remains a remarkably thoughtful, quiet and diligent person. He is described by others in his club as a "serious, no-nonsense oarsman", and "an incredible trainer." "He doesn't believe in messing around and has a clear vision of how each boat should go." His rowing does the talking and so has become highly respected amongst his peers, coaches and club members.
Despite an unsuccessful school rowing career at St Josephs where he boarded from year 7, Jack quickly established his rowing credentials and serious intent in club rowing. His first club coach Mark Prater had no doubts as to his future despite starting off as a skinny unpretentious schoolboy. He no doubt came with he recommendation of his school coach and was described at the time as a tough country kid.
Which is a good segue to his response to the question on his most influential coaches. His first response was Mark Prater who was his first coach after school and his last coach at the 2024 Olympic Games. This was quickly followed by several others. Ian Wright who coached the four to such great success and taught him about hard training, Tim McLaren and Harold Jahrling who between them coached his pair in 2015 and who in their own ways taught him much about both rowing and coaching, and the great Brian Richardson who coached him at school. He has been blessed with being tutored by such a good team.
His first Interstate Championship win came in the Wilkinson Cup in 2013, and this was capped with his first King's Cup win in 2014. As an aside, it is interesting that in answering the question of his most memorable and important races, his Olympic Championship was not included. He talked about his breakthrough races such as this 2014 King's Cup win and the 2017 World Championship. The Olympic Championship at the 2020 Tokyo Games was more of a relief given that they entered the race as favourites. It was the stress of potentially failing at the last hurdle in Tokyo that dominated his thinking, and their victory was more a relief than a celebration. "The first time is always far more special than the repeat."
King's Cup wins are special for any oarsman and Jack has six of them. This is something Jack treasures.
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Jack Hargreaves and Spencer Turrin in 2014 with the King's Cup
2022 NSW winning King's Cup with Jack front left with the cup
Back to 2014. His National Championship wins in the under 23 pair, four and eight highlighted his ability and he was given the right to race at the Under 23 Championships in the pair. A silver medal resulted and also the right to race in Lucerne for the first time at World Cup 3.
2015 was his break through year into the senior ranks and so special for him. He raced at both the senior and under 23 Championships in the pair, taking silver at the Under 23 regatta and being a finalist in the seniors. "Beating senior oarsmen and people beyond my peer age group was sensational."
After moving back to Sydney after the 2015 season, he struggled to find form. His pair for the 2016 Olympic selection trials failed to fire and he narrowly missed 2016 Olympic selection. Following this disappointment, he took a break. He was enticed back to race in a pair with fellow club member Christopher Cunningham-Reid who needed his assistance.
Jack returned with great fanfare into the international season in 2017. Proving himself a proficient sculler with a fifth placing in the single and a bronze in the double at the Nationals. The four that would lead to Olympic gold was formed for the international season and it raced with great success. Again this first senior World Cup win in Lucerne figures highly in his memory as the first major race win in the four. They won by clear water. This was followed by his first World Championship in Sarasota by a narrow margin.
Returning to the scull again at the 2018 Nationals, he continued to demonstrate his boat moving skills finishing second in the single behind fellow Australian four oared member Alex Hill. Again the four was reformed for the international season, and again with great success. They won both World Cups 2 and 3 comfortably, with a narrow win again in the World Championships.
2018 World Championship win with Jack in three seat
Image courtesy of Rowing Australia
In 2019, the four went through various seating personnel changes in the World Cups although Jack always remained three seat as other personnel were rolled through the crew. The combination that raced the World Championships finished a disappointing sixth in the important qualifying race for the Olympics. This was after a great heat and winning their semi-final in the fastest time - they entered the final seeded first. Reflecting on this final, Jack cannot point to any one issue. They had a poor start and couldn't find their feet again and chased. Perhaps there was an element of expectation getting the better of them or simply pressure? It was the only race they lost in that Olympiad.
2020 was the year of the pandemic, a great disappointment for all rowers. Neither domestic nor international racing was undertaken.
2021 brought rowing back to some normality with the 2020 Tokyo Games postponed to 2021. Still there was no international warm up racing for the Games. His Olympic Championship win in Tokyo was the climax of a long and successful career and dominates our memory of his achievements.
This was not to be the end. With a shortened three year Olympic cycle, Jack went around again. This time a British crew rose to the occasion in the fours and caused the Australians grief throughout the Olympiad. After a disappointing fifth place in the four at the 2023 World Championships, the selectors tried their hand at the eight for the Olympic Games. The rowers embraced the new and exciting prospect. It started well with a win at Lucerne but finished with a disappointing sixth at the Games. A sad ending to such an illustrious and successful career. It was difficult to get any comments out of Jack about that year which just indicates the calibre of the man. He would rather say nothing than anything that might be unnecessarily negative or unproven.
As Jack starts his post rowing life, he is keen to give back to the sport. A possible coaching role might follow given his personality, willingness to learn all aspects of the craft and his great interest in sport. He has even added some profiles of his peers for this website. His calm, thoughtful and determined personality will lead him to success in whatever course he follows.
Known rowing record
2010 - AAGPS Head of the River, St Joseph's College 2nd VIII, seven seat - Eighth
2011 - AAGPS Head of the River, St Joseph's College 1st VIII, stroke - Sixth
2013 - Interstate Championships, Wilkinson Cup, six seat - First
2013 - National Championships, Under 23 eight, seven seat - 10th
2013 - World Cup 1 Sydney, Men's Eight, five seat - Third
2013 - World Under 23 Championships, Men's Eight, seven seat - 10th
2014 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, two seat - First
2014 - National Championships, Under 23 pair, four and eight - First
2014 - World Cup 3 Lucerne, Men's Pair, bow - 18th
2014 - World Under 23 Championships, Men's Pair, bow - Silver
2015 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, two seat - Second
2015 - National Championships, Men's Four, bow - Second
2015 - National Championships, Men's Under 23 Eight, five seat - First
2015 - World Cup 2, Men's Pair, bow - Third
2015 - World Cup 3 Lucerne, Men's Pair, bow - Fifth
2015 - World Under 23 Championships, Men's Pair, bow - Silver
2015 - World Championships, Men's Pair, bow - Sixth
2016 - National Championships, Men's Pair, bow - Fifth
2017 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - First
2017 - National Championships, Men's Scull - Fifth
2017 - National Championships, Men's Double Scull - Third
2017 - World Cup 2, Men's Four, two seat - First
2017 - World Cup 3, Men's Eight, seven seat - First
2017 - World Championships, Men's Four, three seat - First
2018 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - First
2018 - National Championships, Men's Scull - Second
2018 - World Cup 2, Men's Four, three seat - First
2018 - World Cup 3, Men's Four, three seat - First
2018 - World Championships, Men's Four, three seat - First
2019 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - First
2019 - National Championships, Men's Scull - Sixth
2019 - National Championships, Men's Four, bow - First
2019 - World Cup 2, Men's Four, three seat - First
2019 - World Cup 3, Men's Four, three seat - First
2019 - World Championships, Men's Four, three seat - Sixth
2020 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - no race due to pandemic
2021 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - Second
2021 - National Championships, Men's Scull - Second
2021 - National Championships, Men's Four, three seat - First
2021 - Olympic Games, Men's Four, three seat - First
2022 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - First
2022 - National Championships, Men's Scull - First
2022 - National Championships, Men's Four, three seat - First
2022 - World Cup 2, Men's Four, three seat - First
2022 - World Cup 3, Men's Four, three seat - Second
2022 - World Championships, Men's Four, three seat - Second
2023 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - First
2023 - National Championships, Men's Scull - Third
2023 - National Championships, Men's Four, three seat - First
2023 - World Cup 2, Men's Four, three seat - Second
2023 - World Cup 3, Men's Four, three seat - Second
2023 - World Championships, Men's Four, three seat - Fifth
2024 - Interstate Championships, King's Cup, seven seat - Second
2024 - National Championships, Men's Four, three seat - First
2024 - World Cup 2, Men's Eight, five seat - Fourth
2024 - World Cup 3, Men's Eight, five seat - First
2024 - Olympic Games, Men's Eight, five seat - Sixth
Andrew Guerin
November 2024
Sources
- Interviews with Jack Hargreaves, and club members including Chris Noel in November 2024
- Author's own records including this website and his recollections.
- World Rowing website athlete profile - https://worldrowing.com/athlete/jack-hargreaves?id=43794.