Tom on top of the world

A decision to change crews has paid golden dividends for Marlborough rower Tom Murray.

The 27-year-old oarsman today became an Olympic champion on the Tokyo Games course as a member of the New Zealand men’s eight that swept all before them.

The Kiwis assumed the lead at the halfway stage of the final and were never headed, holding off the challenges of crews from Germany and Great Britain to claim the country’s first gold in the event since 1972.

Previously Tom and Michael Brake, who also moved to the eight, formed a highly-successful Kiwi pair but late last year they decided to concentrate their energies on the big boat and the men’s blue riband event.

Tom, who previously rowed for Marlborough Boys’ College and the Blenheim Rowing Club, was a member of the NZ eight that competed at the Rio Olympics, the first time in 30 years Kiwis had contested the class. They finished sixth in the A final, leaving Tom with a feeling of “unfinished business” to attend to at this year’s Games.

He and the NZ eight jetted off to Europe in early May and raced at the 2021 World Rowing Final Olympic Qualifying regatta in Lucerne. Victory in the final booked them a ticket to Tokyo and the rest, as they say, is history.

As a seasoned international oarsman, Tom is well placed to evaluate the new-look Kiwi eight’s progress telling the Marlborough App before he left New Zealand that he felt the men’s eight were “right on track” to perform strongly at the global showpiece.

Tom was part of a seating change before the Tokyo campaign, shifting from his usual bow seat to three, a move that surely paid off in spades.