Constantine Louloudis

Rio 2016 Olympiad: 2013-2016

Constantine capped his first season in the men’s four by helping to secure a fifth successive Olympic title in the boat class for Great Britain at the Rio 2016 Games.

He teamed up with Alex Gregory, Mohamed Sbihi and George Nash to power to victory on a fantastic Friday on the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, beating Australia by three-quarters of a length.

Constantine was selected in the four after finishing runner-up in the GB Rowing Team Trials with Pete Reed. They made a winning debut at the European Championships in Brandenburg, securing gold in choppy conditions, but Constantine was unable to race at the Lucerne World Cup due to illness.

Callum McBrierty took his place in the boat as the four won a dramatic gold, pipping Australia on the line. Constantine returned for the Poznan World Cup, where GB maintained their unbeaten record for 2016 by finishing a length clear of World Champions Italy.

Constantine missed the first season of the Rio Olympiad as he took a year out from international rowing to concentrate on his degree in Classics at Trinity College, Oxford.

He returned to the men’s eight in 2014 and won bronze at the European Championships. Second and third places followed at the World Cup in Aiguebelette and Lucerne respectively before Constantine won his first senior World Championship gold as GB recorded a convincing victory in Amsterdam.

Constantine missed the first two races of the 2015 season as he completed his degree but returned to help GB hold off Germany and win gold by just eight-hundredths of a second at the World Cup in Lucerne.

The World Championships promised even more drama and did not disappoint as GB and Germany went head to head once again. This time Constantine and his crew-mates won by two-tenths of a second to claim gold for a third successive year.

London 2012 Olympiad: 2009-2012

Constantine’s bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games capped a rapid rise to prominence.

He had announced himself as one to watch during a hugely-successful season as a junior in 2009. After winning gold with both the four and eight at the Munich International Regatta, Constantine was part of the victorious men’s four at the World Junior Championships in Brive.

Constantine moved up to U23 level the following year and stroked a men’s four also including Nathaniel Reilly-O’Donnell and George Nash to a silver medal at the World U23 Championships in Brest.

A senior debut followed in 2011 as Constantine and George, racing in the men’s pair, finished seventh overall at the World Cup in Lucerne. They also contested the World U23 Championships together and dominated throughout, going on to win gold by a five-second margin.

Constantine was selected to stroke the men’s eight during 2012 but missed all three races in the World Cup series with a back injury. However, he recovered in time to compete at the Olympic Games and win a bronze medal.

Constantine started rowing at Eton in September 2007 because he was “rubbish at cricket”. Had he not pursued rowing, Constantine would have liked to be a rugby player, although the sportsperson he would swap places with is tennis ace Roger Federer.

He has family in Greece, which is also his favourite travel destination. “It’s beautiful, warm and I love the food.”

Constantine’s ideal dinner party guests would include Roman philosopher Cicero, US President Barack Obama and theoretical physicist Richard Feynman.

When not rowing, Constantine enjoys socialising with friends, baking, reading and music. He plays the guitar and listens to Foo Fighters, Example and Avicii while training, Dire Straits and Fleetwood Mac while relaxing.

Constantine also relaxes by watching TV.  Peep Show is his favourite show and says a little-known fact about him is “I quite liked the first series of Downton Abbey”.

He is Lottery funded through UK Sport.