Warwick graduate coxes GB to glory

For most, sport at Warwick runs alongside academic study, or comes in the more casual form of a kick-about with friends and flatmates.

But for some, what they achieve at our university propels them onto future sporting careers – and, in some very special cases, representing Great Britain in their chosen field.

Rowing cox Oliver James is one such man.

After completing his degree in philosophy, Oliver embarked upon a meteoric rise that saw him rise to fame by coxing the GB Rowing Team mixed adaptive four to double gold in the 2013 World Championships in Korea in late-August, finishing five seconds ahead of runners-up Italy.

He shared a boat with 2012 Paralympic winners Pamela Relph and Naomi Riches, as well as Oliver Hester and James Fox – as he did when winning at the Rowing World Cup at Eton Dorney in June.

A superb double-gold performance in the Varese International, Italy, in May means that Oliver has won four gold medals this year to date – and triumphing on Korea’s Lake Tangeum means that the GB team can reflect on an unbeaten 2013 season.

So surely Oliver must have been heavily involved before coming to Warwick, gaining a head start over the other sporting hopefuls that arrived for Freshers’ weekend?

In fact, it turns out he was one of the thousands of nervous first-years scouring the Freshers’ Fair for opportunities.

“I got involved in the club by approaching the stand at the sports fair and asking about coxing,” he said. “It was something I had decided I wanted to get involved in before I came to Warwick so it was just a case of looking out for the stall at sports fair and signing up.”

Three years with Warwick Rowing – the highlight of which was a win in the intermediate fours at Bristol University in his final year – was enough to convince Oliver that he wanted to invest all his energy into pursuing a career in the sport.

“After graduation I moved straight to Henley on Thames to start coxing for Leander Club,” he said. “Whilst we were training for the Jubilee Regatta in October I got a phone call from the coach of the boat asking me if I would be interested in trialling for the (cox) seat.

“I said yes straight away and after going through the trialling process ended up winning the seat for the season.”

Suddenly Oliver was elevated from rowing in a local setting to coxing Paralympic gold medallists on the world stage.

“To be coxing a boat that is representing the national team is amazing,” he said.      “The atmosphere building up to the home event was great, and the support was huge.

“The home World Cup (at Eton Dorney) was an amazing experience and the timing of the final meant we were able to go and join in with the crowds after our win and shout on the rest of the team.”

But Oliver admitted that while winning on home water was a huge source of pride, striking gold at the
world championships in Korea was “the most important one of the lot”.

Returning four gold medals has certainly justified his selection in rowing’s most pressurised seat, but Oliver does not intend to coast after his summer of success. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“Looking further ahead to the 2014 season I’m quite keen to wrap up a win at the head of the river race with my club Leander. With a really strong crew entered for this year we missed out on the opportunity to fight for the win due to the race being cancelled.

“Looking even further ahead I’m committed to the national squad until 2016, and as it stands at the moment have every intention of continuing onwards towards the 2020 Olympic Games.

“I might even find time to fit in an Oxbridge Masters course and have a crack at getting into one of the boat race squads.”

But Oliver is keen to emphasise that he does not consider himself born with a special talent – and that anybody can be a cox if they want to.

“To anyone considering taking up coxing? Do it,” he says earnestly. “If you’ve sat there and thought it’s something that you sort of might want to have a go at doing someday then sign yourself up – if you like it then you’ve found yourself a sport that will keep you hooked for the next three years.

“There isn’t a prerequisite set of skills or personality required to be a cox: you certainly don’t need to match up to the aggressive, commanding stereotype. In fact, I spent three years at Warwick being told I didn’t have the right personality to be a cox at a high level.

“You just need plenty of patience, a willingness to learn, and a warm coat.”

Oliver has continued to pursue his interest in philosophy, and is also an avid Sunderland fan. In other words, despite the success he has achieved, he still retains the characteristics of a normal graduate.

The most inspiring part of this story is that Oliver developed his ability from Warwick’s very own Freshers’ Fair. In other words, this could be you soon.