
Shaun Kirkham
Sport
Olympics
Shaun is a part of the Men's Eight who claimed an Olympic Gold medal at the 2020 Olympic Games held in Tokyo.
Alongside his team, he made history by breaking a 49-year drought for NZ in the blue-ribbon event of rowing
Shaun's story is one of failure, resilience, self-doubt and learning -
"I was part of the New Zealand 8 in its inception in the modern era back in 2013. We began as an Under-23 representative crew that went on to win 2 Under-23 world titles in 2013 and 2014. What proceeded was 6 years of pure struggle as we tried to step up to the Olympic pinnacle standard of rowing. I am the only crew member that remained in the crew from the beginning, right through to that final race in Tokyo. In that time, I won one singular international pinnacle race, that being the Olympic final."