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James Tomkins OAM

Mercantile Rowing Club (VIC)

1984 – Interstate Men’s Youth Eight Championships stroke – First

1985 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship stroke – First

1985 – World Championships – Men’s Eight stroke – Ninth

1986 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship stroke – First

1986 – World Championships – Men’s Eight six seat – Gold

1986 – Commonwealth Games – Men’s Eight six seat – Gold

1986 – Commonwealth Games – Men’s Coxed Four stroke – Bronze

1987 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship stroke – First1987 – World Championships – Men’s Eight six seat – Fourth

1988 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship six seat – First

1988 – Olympic Games – Men’s Eight six seat – Fifth

1990 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship stroke – First

1990 – World Championships – Men’s Coxless Four stroke – Gold

1991 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship six seat – First

1991 – World Championships – Men’s Coxless Four stroke – Gold

1992 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship stroke – First

1992 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Four stroke – Gold

1994 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship stroke – First

1995 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship six seat – First

1995 – World Championships – Men’s Four stroke – Fifth

1996 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championships stroke – First

1996 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Four two seat – Gold

1998 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship seven seat – First

1998 – World Championships – Men’s Coxed Four stroke – Gold

1998 – World Championships – Men’s Coxed Pair stroke – Gold

1999 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship seven seat – Second

1999 – World Championships – Men’s Coxless Pair stroke – Gold

2000 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championship – First

2000 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Pair stroke – Bronze

2002 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championships stroke – First

2002 – World Championships – Men’s Coxless Pair stroke – Fourth

2003 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championships stroke – First

2003 – World Championships – Men’s Coxless Pair stroke – Gold

2003 – FISA male athlete of the year jointly with Drew Ginn.

2004 – Interstate Men’s Eight Championships six seat – Second

2004 – Olympic Games – Men’s Coxless Pair stroke – Gold

2007 – World Championships – Men’s Eight stroke – Seventh

2008 – Olympic Games – Men’s Eight six seat – Sixth

2010 – Thomas Keller medallist for outstanding contribution to the sport of rowing

2010 – Inducted into the Victorian Rowing Hall of Fame

2013 – Elected to the IOC Athletes Commission

2022 - Upon expiry of his term on the IOC Athletes Commission, James became a member of the IOC Revenue and Commercial Partnerships Commission

One of Harry Gordon’s 100 Greatest Olympians

Helms World Trophy for Oceania in 1992.

Above – Celebrating 1992 win

James is the only person ever to be a world champion in every class of sweep boat having won gold in the Coxed and Coxless Pair, Coxed and Coxless Four and the Eight. He has won seven World Championships. He has only won two non-gold World Championship medals. At the Olympic Games he has three Gold, a Silver and a Bronze medal. Renowned for his superb technique, James is one of the best rowers Australia has ever produced and one of the greatest rowers in World Rowing. He rates as some his rowing career highlights as carrying the flag at the 2008 Olympic Games for Australia, the first Olympic Gold in 1992, all the eights racing, and his bronze medal in Sydney 2000 after only 4 weeks to prepare. His six Olympic appearances are shared only with Colin Beashel (sailing), Andrew Hoy (equestrian) and Colin Coates (speed skating).

Last few strokes in 2004 at Athens taking gold

Andrew Guerin 2010 (updated 2022 with change to his IOC appointments)