Olympic champion George Nash announces his retirement

George Nash retires from rowing with gold and bronze Olympic medals and a clean sweep of World Championship golds between London 2012 and Rio 2016

George Nash has decided to bow out at the top of the sport, hanging up his oar after winning gold in the men’s coxless four at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Nash, 27, secured his second Olympic medal in August by helping to extend Great Britain’s Olympic winning streak in the coxless four to five Games. In 2012, Nash partnered Will Satch to bronze in the men’s pair.

The Molesey BC man is set to take up a role at Kineterol Ltd as a Research and Development Engineer.

Nash said: “Rowing for my country has given me a fantastic excuse to miss every major social engagement, wedding, family birthday, New Year’s Eve party and golf match since 2003…

“In all seriousness rowing has given me an opportunity to pursue excellence. An opportunity that not many people ever get the chance to look in the eye and stare down. An opportunity to take the hard road.

“As part of the GB Rowing Team I’ve worked with the most dedicated, driven and dogged athletes, coaches and support staff in the world. I’ll miss that. I’ll miss exploring the limits of fatigue and laughing about it with the lads. I’ll miss lining up next to the best rowers in the world and sharing that infectious, nervous energy on the start line. And of course I’ll miss all those times I got to cross the finish line first.”

Alongside Moe Sbihi, Alex Gregory and Constantine Louloudis, Nash stormed to Olympic gold in Rio, beating the Australian crew by nearly two full seconds.

Outside the Olympics, Nash won three consecutive World Championships titles between 2013 and 2015 – two in the men’s eight and one in the coxless four – as well as two European Championship golds in the four.

Having first represented Great Britain as a junior in 2006, Nash retires after 10 years of rowing for his country.

“I’d like to thank everyone that supported me along the road, coaches, athletes, friends, family and girlfriend,” Nash added.

“I’m going to take a different tack professionally. I’ve taken a job working at Kinetrol Ltd, an engineering firm in Farnham. I’m looking forward to giving it my best shot. Mostly I’m looking forward to getting back on the golf course and picking up where I left off in 2003.”

Sir David Tanner, British Rowing’s Performance Director said: “George’s talent was first evident in winning a Junior Worlds’ Gold in 2007 and he has been a key crew-maker for GB boats ever since. He is a truly gifted athlete with a great disposition, and it has been a real pleasure to work with him from Juniors into the Olympic Squad, culminating in his exceptional run of gold medals in the Rio Olympic cycle.”