Release: Brian Price Announces Retirement
March 25, 2014
OLYMPIC GOLD AND SILVER MEDALIST BRIAN PRICE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM THE SPORT OF ROWING
TORONTO – After more than decade on the international rowing circuit, Olympic gold and silver medalist men’s eight coxswain Brian Price is retiring as an athlete. Price was one of the cornerstones of a highly successful era in the Canadian men’s rowing team program from 2001-2012, which was led by legendary coach Mike Spracklen. Price is a three-time Olympian, three-time World Champion, 2008 Olympic gold medalist and 2012 Olympic silver medalist. “I’ve accomplished more in the sport than I ever dreamed possible as a young kid,” said the Belleville, Ontario, native. “It’s been an amazing career, and I have so many people to thank. Specifically, all the hard-working, talented rowers I’ve had the pleasure of competing with, and the exemplary coaching and friendship I received from Mike Spracklen.” His journey was not always a smooth one: At the age of seven Brian was diagnosed with cancer, Leukemia ALL, and the chemotherapy and other drugs that kept him alive left his thyroid only half functioning during a critical growth period. However, as an adult standing at 5’4” tall and 120 lbs, he was the ideal size for the role of coxswain. Brian also credits the character traits – determination, perseverance and courage – that he developed during his battle with cancer for helping lead to his international success. “Brian was hands down the best coxswain in the world during the years that I had the privilege of rowing with him,” said his friend and captain of the 2008 gold-medal crew Kyle Hamilton. “He saw the effort that his athletes were putting in to be fitter, stronger and faster than any other crew in the world, and he put that same effort into his coxing. Brian worked tirelessly at his craft, and the men that he led respected him for it. In short, we didn’t just win with Brian, we won because of Brian.” After placing a disappointing fifth in his Olympic debut in Athens, Brian and his crew returned to the top of their field to capture Olympic gold at the Beijing Games in 2008. Following his Olympic victory, Brian spent two years travelling the country and sharing his story with fellow Canadians as a motivational speaker. He returned to the Rowing Canada National Team training centre in Victoria, B.C., in 2010 with the goal of leading a largely new and inexperienced crew to the Olympic podium. For two years, Brian had to balance the demands of raising a family and training with his young team. “Spotting my wife Robbi holding both our two daughters in her arms while I stood on the Olympic podium in London will always be a very special family memory,” he said. This past fall, Brian and his family left Victoria and are now settled in Orangeville, Ontario. Brian continues to pursue his career as a motivational speaker presenting both his life experience and high-performance sport lessons, and is also co-authoring a book with Dr. George McMaster. For more information see www.brianpriceonline.com. He also recently accepted a position with the RBC Olympians program, working with the Corporate Citizenship team and Employee Volunteer Programs at head office in Toronto. -30- For more information and interviews: Jackie Skender Cell: 613-794-7676 Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office: Jane Almeida, Manager, Media Relations Tel: 416-324-4120 / Cell: 416-540-1788 Email: jalmeida@olympic.ca Luc Beaudin, Coordinator, Communications and Media Relations Cell: 514-206-6720 Email: lbeaudin@olympic.ca